A family nurse practitioner from Starkville was arrested along with another nurse and two physicians following a month-long pharmaceutical diversion investigation by the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in Tupelo, Ripley and West Point.
MBN Director John Dowdy said in a press conference Wednesday that agents arrested Amanda Jones, 35, of Starkville, for allegedly writing prescriptions in the name of a family member for Adderall - a Schedule II controlled substance - and filling the prescriptions at local pharmacies.
Jones surrendered her DEA license earlier this month.
Agents also arrested family nurse practitioner Brenda Shelton, 54, of Ripley, charging her with prescription fraud.
Shelton is charged with prescribing controlled substances without a valid DEA license and without her advanced practice registered nurse license, both of which she surrendered in 2014.
The State Board of Pharmacy alleges Shelton wrote approximately 55 prescriptions for controlled substances over a two-year period when she had no license.
Prescription fraud in the state of Mississippi carries a one to five-year prison sentence and/or a fine of $1,000.
Dowdy said a pharmacy also conspired to alter prescription drug records.
Dr. William Bell of Tupelo also surrendered his DEA license for prescribing controlled pharmaceutical drugs earlier this month after he was found to be practicing outside the scope of an emergency room physician. Agents say Bell wrote prescriptions for Adderall and Clonazepam to family members and acquaintances, as well as for his own consumption.
Dr. Dwalia South of Ripley, also surrendered her DEA license this month for prescribing controlled pharmaceutical drugs.
Dr. South and Shelton are also accused of conspiring with Hollis Discount Pharmacy of Ripley to alter the prescriptions in the Board of Pharmacy prescription monitoring program. As a result, Hollis Discount Pharmacy faces civil action for its involvement.