Scenery Hill woman accused of fraudulently getting prescriptions
A Scenery Hill woman faces dozens of drug-related charges after she allegedly used a dentist’s information and prescription pads to fraudulently obtain narcotic painkillers using fictitious names at two South Strabane Township pharmacies.
Georgia Ann Rippel, 42, of 14 Short Road, was arraigned before District Judge Jay Weller on 28 counts each of obtaining a controlled substance by misrepresentation and procurement of drugs by false statement and four counts of receiving stolen property.
Rippel was reportedly hired as a dental assistant at Washington Dental when it opened in August in Washington. While working there, Rippel reportedly had access to the dentist’s prescription pad and his drug enforcement agency identification number. She also became familiar with the process of calling in prescriptions for patients.
The dentist, Dr. Anthony Kail, did an audit of all prescriptions either phoned in or dropped off using his DEA number after he was alerted to suspicious activity from the Walmart pharmacy when the same woman picked up multiple prescriptions in the names of different people, said Detective Ken Torboli, who investigated the case against Rippel.
The dentist identified 12 prescriptions filled at the Walmart pharmacy at Trinity Point and another 16 filled at Giant Eagle pharmacy at Strabane Square between October and Jan. 31. The dentist indicated to investigators that he did not authorize the prescriptions and the names that appeared on those appeared to be fictitious and not patients of his. Four of the prescriptions were for hydrocodone and 24 were for another opiate-based pain medication.
Video surveillance from both locations reportedly shows Rippel as the person picking up the prescriptions.
“After being alerted, Dr. Kail and is staff worked diligently with law enforcement to make sure the situation was addressed,” Torboli said, “I would like to commend them for taking this so seriously and jumping on it.”
Torboli interviewed Rippel last month. She reportedly admitted she would call in the prescriptions while working for the dentist and them pick them up for her own use. Rippel was released on $25,000 unsecured bond. She is scheduled for an April 24 hearing before Weller. Torboli said that other jurisdictions are expected to also file charges against Rippel.