Hearing set for man accused of deception in obtaining drugs

AUSTINTOWN -- A North Turner Road man is to appear in Mahoning County Court here next month, accused of posing as a doctor to obtain prescription drugs.
Raymond Betts, 45, is charged with felony deception to obtain dangerous drugs, possession of dangerous drugs, and driving while under a license forfeiture suspension. He was arrested Friday. He also had been placed on probation in May for deception to obtain dangerous drugs.
Betts is to have an initial hearing in court Nov. 19.
Police arrested Betts after he picked up a prescription for Darvocet, a painkiller, in the name of Carl Marsh at the Wal-Mart on Mahoning Avenue. A man posing as a doctor had called the pharmacy and ordered the prescription.
The pharmacist contacted police after speaking with the real doctor and learning he did not have Carl Marsh as a patient. The pharmacist also said the man who ordered the Darvocet for Carl Marsh had a voice similar to that of the man who had posed as another doctor and ordered at least 13 prescriptions for Darvocet between July and September.
Police said they found information on Betts linking him to the earlier prescriptions, as well as the prescription for Carl Marsh. The pharmacist also identified Betts as the person who had picked up the earlier prescriptions.