Husband And Wife Sentenced To A Decade In Federal Prison For Possession With Intent To Distribute Oxycodone As A Part Of Prescription Drug Ring Prosecution

Corinthia Watson, age 33, and her husband, Jerry Smith, age 37, of Hull, Georgia were sentenced by the Honorable C. Ashley Royal yesterday in Athens, Georgia for possession with intent to distribute prescription drugs they illegally obtained. Mr. Smith was sentenced to 70 months and Mrs. Watson was sentenced to 51 months for Possession with Intent to Distribute Oxycodone.

The investigation revealed that Mrs. Watson, a medical assistant at a medical practice in Monroe, Georgia, stole her employer’s DEA number and prescription pad. With significant assistance from others, including her husband, Mr. Smith, the couple operated a massive fraudulent prescription drug ring from September 2011 to December 2012. They sold fraudulent prescriptions for as much as $300 a piece to hundreds of individuals, resulting in the illegal distribution of over 60,000 dosage units of prescription drugs such as Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, and Alprazolam (Xanax).

When various pharmacies called the medical practice to verify prescriptions, Mrs. Watson managed to intercept the calls for several months and vouch for the fraudulent prescriptions. After several months, the investigation revealed that the scheme unraveled only when Mrs. Watson called in sick one day and her co-workers stumbled upon her fraudulent activity when a pharmacy called to verify one of her fraudulent prescriptions.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion Investigators and the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services in Atlanta, the City of Monroe Police Department, and the Northeast Georgia Region Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Danial Bennett prosecuted the case on behalf of the Government.

Questions concerning this case should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603.