Department of Finance & Administration
Mark Emkes, Commissioner

FOUR WARREN CO. RESIDENTS CHARGED WITH TENNCARE DRUG FRAUD

NASHVILLE, TN - Four Warren County residents are charged with TennCare drug fraud, following an undercover operation involving the Office of Inspector (OIG) and the Warren County Sheriff's Office.

"We are not going to tolerate TennCare fraud, especially when people are subsidizing illegal narcotics trafficking with taxpayer funds," Inspector General Deborah Y. Faulkner said. "We are committed to tracking TennCare fraud aggressively and prosecute to the full extent of the law."

Included in the arrests:

• Jennie Northcutt Pleasant,38, of McMinnville, charged with two counts of delivery of a schedule III controlled substance and one count of TennCare fraud. Charges accuse her of obtaining TennCare benefits she wasn't entitled to receive. Pleasant is also charged with delivery of a schedule III controlled substance - the painkiller Hydrocodone - on two separate occasions.
• Cody Blake Knowles, 23, of McMinnville, charged with two counts of delivery of a schedule III controlled substance and one count of TennCare fraud. Charges say Knowles obtained TennCare benefits that he was not entitled to and on two separate occasions sold the painkiller Hydrocodone, with one incident being within 1000 feet of a school zone.
• Edwina Ruth Shedlock , 25, of McMinnville, charged with one count of TennCare fraud, two counts of delivery of a schedule III controlled substance and one count of casual exchange of a schedule III controlled substance. The charges accuse Shedlock of receiving TennCare benefits she wasn´t entitled to receive, and on two separate occasions delivering a schedule III controlled substance, the painkiller Hydrocodone.
• Charlie Crockett Conley , 25, of McMinnville, charged with one count of TennCare fraud, one count of delivery of a schedule II controlled substance and one count of delivery of a schedule III controlled substance. Charges say Conley used TennCare benefits to obtain medical services he wasn´t entitled to through fraudulent means and delivered the painkiller Morphine on one occasion, and on another occasion, delivered the generic version of Suboxone, a drug used to treat addiction to Morphine and other painkillers.

District Attorney General Lisa S. Zavogiannis will prosecute. If convicted, all could serve up to two years for the TennCare fraud which is a Class E felony while the delivery of a schedule II controlled substance charge is a class C felony, carrying a possible sentence of three to six years. Delivery of a schedule III controlled substance is a class D felony that carries a sentence of up to four years in prison.

The OIG, which is separate from TennCare, began full operation in February 2005 and has investigated cases leading to over $2.5 million paid in restitution and recoupment to TennCare, with a total estimated cost avoidance of over $171 million for the TennCare program, according to latest figures.  To date, over 1,300 people have been charged with TennCare fraud.

Through the OIG Cash for Tips Program established by the Legislature, Tennesseans can get cash rewards for TennCare fraud tips that lead to convictions.  Anyone can report suspected TennCare fraud by calling 1-800-433-3982 toll-free from anywhere in Tennessee, or log on to www.tn.gov/tnoig and follow the prompts that read "Report TennCare Fraud."