Former Deputy Accused Of Prescription Fraud

FAYETTEVILLE — A former Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputy was arrested July 30 in connection with obtaining prescription drugs fraudulently by calling prescriptions in to pharmacies posing as a doctor’s employee, according to an arrest report.

Stephanie Guenther, 26, of 163 N. Mock St. in Prairie Grove, faces six charges of obtaining a prescription by fraud. She was released July 31 from the Washington County Detention Center on a $2,500 bond.

Guenther obtained 340 hydrocodone tablets and 240 Carisoprodol tablets in a 29-day period between May 26 and June 23, according to the report. She called in the prescription, then picked up the drugs at the pharmacy.

In a separate incident, a Missouri couple was arrested Wednesday in connection with attempting to obtain prescription drugs fraudulently in Lincoln. A pharmacist at Bell’s Pharmacy was suspicious about a prescription for oxycodone and told police, said Cpl. Brian Key of the Lincoln Police Department.

Key said the drug wasn’t dispensed.

The couple was identified as Gabriel Guerra, 31, 10577 Farm Road 1090, Purdy, Mo., and Tiffany Lyles, 24, 5507 Farm Road 1090, Monett, Mo. They are being held in connection with attempting to obtain a controlled substance by fraud and forgery. Lyles also faces a charge of possession of a controlled substance. They were being held Thursday in the Washington County Detention Center. Bond for Lyles is set at $ 3,250 and Guerra at $2,500.

Guen the r and a co- worker, former Sgt. Lori Schmidt, sued Sheriff Tim Helder and others in the Sheriff ’s Office in a sexual harassment lawsuit in 2009. The suit was settled in 2011, and the two plaintiffs split $ 395,000. The two claimed Helder and others tolerated male employees talking openly about sexual practices and watched strip searches of female prisoners .