Ex-cop charged in prescription drug case

Published 2:14 pm Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Ronald Sanford Freeman, 23, of Flomaton, is facing charges of fraud after recently being arrested in Escambia County, Fla. A suspected accomplice in the case was arrested Tuesday and is being held in the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton.

Ashley Megan Nall was arrested on a warrant issued by the Escambia County, Fla., Sheriff’s Department. The warrant gave information that Nall was wanted on two counts of possession of a controlled substance by fraud in connection with case involving Freeman.

Documents filed by officials at Escambia County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Department listed two fraud charges against Freeman, a former Atmore police office, in connection with forged prescriptions from the office of Dr. Francis Delaine Salter, an Atmore physician.

Nall reportedly is the granddaughter of the physician where the fraudulent prescriptions were generated.

According to an Escambia County, Fla., arrest report, Freeman was arrested and charged with two counts of attempting to obtain a controlled substance by fraud. The third degree felony charges were filed against the suspect after he attempted to obtain the drugs at the Century Pharmacy on Mayo Street in Century, Fla.

The arrest report shows that Freeman had allegedly begun the activity in February that led to his arrest on charges stemming from a scheme to obtain Lortab and Keflex through fraudulent prescriptions.

On Feb. 5, Freeman is reported to have presented a forged instrument (prescriptions) at Century Pharmacy knowing it to be false, according to the arresting officer, James Johnston, Jr.

The prescriptions were allegedly called into the local pharmacy by Nall, reports said.

In a statement from Nall, Johnston said she told officers she had no authority to issue any type of medication prescription from Dr. Salter’s office.

“Around four months ago, Nall and Freeman got together and worked out an agreement where Nall would call in a forged prescription at a local pharmacy for Freeman for a controlled substance,” Johnston said in his report. “After Freeman obtained the pills, he would meet and divide the pills 50/50 with Nall.”

On Feb. 5, Nall is believed to have called in a forged prescription at Century Pharmacy for 90 Lortabs in Freeman’s name, Johnston’s report stated. Freeman is believed to have picked up the pills and returned to the pharmacy on March 5 to refill the prescription for an additional 90 Lortabs.

The incident that landed Freeman behind bars took place on April 19 when pharmacy workers attempted to contact Salter’s office for verification of a new prescription for Lortabs in Freeman’s name.

“On April 19, Nall called in two different prescriptions for Freeman at the pharmacy,” Johnston said in a report. “The first prescription was for Keflex, 500 mg., 20 pills. The second prescription was for Lortab, 10 mg., 90 pills. Freeman attempted to pick up this medicine, but left when the store made contact with Dr. Salter in reference to these prescriptions.”

Nall was sworn in and told Office Johnston that she called in the two prescriptions and they were forgeries, reports say.

Johnston’s report also said Freeman was worn in and stated that he had picked up the first prescription on Feb. 5 and had it refilled on March 5. He also attempted to pick up the second prescription called in by Nall. Freeman also stated that he had knowledge that all of the prescriptions called in by Nall were forgeries.

Freeman was booked into the Escambia County, Fla., jail. He has been released on a $5,000 bond.

Nall remained in the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton awaiting transfer into the custody of Escambia County Fla., Sheriff’s Department officials. No information concerning bond for Nall was available at presstime.