Eagle Woman Pleads Guilty to Obtaining Controlled Substances by Fraud and Identity Theft

BOISE - Susan Roberts, 57, of Eagle Idaho, pleaded guilty today in United States District Court to obtaining controlled substances by fraud and identity theft by unauthorized use of a means of identification, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. 

According to the filed plea agreement, Roberts worked with a medical center that had offices in Nampa and Boise, Idaho.  As a result of her employment, she had access to doctors’ names and DEA numbers and knowledge of the prescription writing process.  Between October 2014 and February 2015, Roberts knowingly and intentionally forged approximately eleven prescriptions for hydrocodone-acetaminophen 10-325, a Schedule II controlled substance.  In particular, she forged prescriptions using the names of Dr. H. and Dr. A, and using their assigned DEA registration numbers.  These were actual doctors and their names and DEA numbers constituted means of identification as defined at 18 U.S.C. § 1028(d)(7).  Roberts presented the forged prescriptions to pharmacies, and received by fraud approximately 1,320 dosage units (pills) of hydrocodone-acetaminophen 10-325, which is commonly referred to by the name brands Norco, Vicodin, or Lortab. 

The charge of obtaining controlled substances by fraud is punishable by up to four years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000.00 fine.  Identity theft by unauthorized use of a means of identification is punishable by up to five years prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.  Prison can be up to 15 years if the offense obtained anything of value aggregating $1,000 or more during any one year period.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 27, 2016, before Senior U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge.

The case was investigated by the DEA Office of Diversion Control, assisted by the Tactical Diversion Squad.