Slidell woman arrested for prescription fraud

Slidell police arrested a former pharmacy tech Wednesday after investigators said she was changing prescriptions and then selling the drugs on the street.

Ashley N. Jackson, 24, 36450 Hermia, Slidell was charged with 39 counts of possession with intent to distribute hydrocodone, a prescription pain reliever, 39 counts of obtaining prescription medicines by fraud and possession of a controlled dangerous substance within 1,000 feet of a school.

Slidell police spokesman, Capt. Kevin Foltz said Slidell detectives were informed of the crime by loss prevention officers at Walgreen’s drugstore at the corner of Front Street and Gause Boulevard. After checking the store’s records, detectives were able to piece together the scheme that Jackson used while working as a pharmacy technician at the Walgreen’s.

She would enter a legitimate prescription for hydrocodone in the store’s computer system, but would add a refill order to the prescription, which is illegal. After a patient would pick up the legitimate prescription for the pain reliever, Jackson would allegedly fill the illegal refill, and have someone come to pick up the fraudulent prescription. Foltz said Jackson had several different people who would pick up the fake prescriptions. The drug would then be sold on the street.

Detectives said Jackson gave out the fake prescriptions from March 25 to this week.

When she was arrested, Foltz said Jackson admitted to the plot and that she filled out illegal prescriptions 39 times. Slidell detectives said that there would be several more arrests made in connection with Jackson’s crime.

Jackson is in the St. Tammany Jail under a $2,925 bond, which Foltz explained was only for two of the charges. Bond is yet to be set for the 39 counts of obtaining a prescription by fraud.