Members of Berks drug ring arrested

Three individuals have been charged after Berks County Detectives began investigating a prescription drug ring in the county.

According to The Berks County District Attorney’s Office, Heather Marie Bailey, 35, of 123 Kendall Court Sinking Spring; Stacy Delvalle, 29, of

285 S. Freeman Street Robesonia; and Jorge Luis Soler, 38, of 285 S. Freeman Street Robesonia have been charged following an investigation.

The investigation, which began in April 2017, was conducted by the Berks County District Attorney’s Narcotics Detectives and the Pennsylvania State Attorney General’s Office. It was initiated after fraudulent prescriptions were found on a home visit by the Berks County Probation and Parole Office, police said. The investigation revealed three co-conspirators engaged in illegally obtaining Schedule II opioid medication from pharmacies in Berks County. Two of the co-conspirators, Heather Baily and Stacy Delvalle, were employed at a doctor’s office in Exeter Township, which gave them access to prescriptions and information that enabled them to perpetrate the crimes, authorities said.

Police allege that the scheme involved preparing fraudulent prescriptions and using a fictitious identity. The participants used the doctor’s name and his assigned DEA number to fill out prescriptions. One participant, Soler became a legitimate patient; obtained Oxycodone medication actually prescribed by the doctor, and then the coconspirators sold the medication for profit.

At least 48 forged prescriptions were passed to pharmacies in Berks County, and a total of at least 4,808 doses of dangerous Schedule II opiates were illegally obtained for distribution and consumption, police say.

Additionally, Soler allegedly obtained 14 prescriptions for 2,340 doses from his doctor, which he subsequently sold illegally.

The amount of opioid pills totaled 7,148 in varying strengths. Typically opioid pills are sold on the street for $1 per milligram making the total street value roughly $100,000. This diverted medication has been identified as a dangerous drug leading to drug overdoses and deaths in Berks County and throughout the country.

On January 8, 2019, detectives obtained arrest warrants for the three defendants. The warrants were issued by Magisterial District Judge Sandra L. Fegley.

All three defendants surrendered to the Berks County District Attorney’s Narcotics Detectives at their office, according to a release from the Berks County District Attorney’s Office. Bail information was not available at the time.

The defendants have been charged with acquisition of or obtaining controlled substances by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge, possession with the intent to deliver controlled substances, possession of a controlled substance, identity theft and criminal conspiracy.

The investigation is still continuing.