Norristown man sees prison for prescription fraud

NORRISTOWN >> A Norristown man is headed to prison for passing fraudulent prescriptions in order to obtain controlled substances.

Quindol Dempsey, 28, of the 700 block of George Street, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 30-to-60-months in a state correctional facility after he pleaded guilty to charges of acquisition by fraud and identity theft in connection with incidents that occurred between May and June of 2017.

Judge Wendy G. Rothstein also ordered Dempsey to complete five years’ probation following parole, meaning he will be under court supervision for 10 years. The judge recommended that Dempsey be placed under addict supervision and also be evaluated for potential inpatient treatment. The judge said Dempsey is eligible for the state Department of Corrections’ Recidivism Risk Reduction Incentive program, which allows non-violent, drug or alcohol addicted criminals to reduce their minimum prison stays if they successfully complete prison treatment programs.

Prisoners can be released upon completing the program only if officials are satisfied that the offenders pose no risks to public safety.

If Dempsey successfully completes the program, he could reduce his minimum prison stay to 22 months and 15 days, according to court documents.

An investigation by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office began on May 12, 2017, when agents received a complaint from a doctor at the University of Pennsylvania who reported that individuals were filling fraudulent prescriptions for controlled substances using the doctor’s identifying information without the doctor’s knowledge or authorization.

“The doctor further stated that none of the individuals were patients of the doctor’s and that he did not write the prescriptions,” state Agent Christina Staunton wrote in the criminal complaint.

The investigation revealed Dempsey filled two prescriptions for the drug oxycodone at a pharmacy in Bridgeport between May 5, and June 3, 2017, according to court documents. Investigators obtained video surveillance footage from the pharmacy that assisted in identifying Dempsey as the person passing the fraudulent prescriptions.

In the criminal complaint, authorities alleged Dempsey, during a twoyear period, had 61 prescriptions in his name, using 12 different doctors and 15 pharmacies, and that 56 of the prescriptions were for oxycodone and six were for morphine.