Dentist, others charged in prescription fraud

A former employee says the problems started in 1993.
FARRELL, Pa. -- A Farrell dentist and some members of her staff are charged with fraudulently filling drug prescriptions.
Dr. Tamara Lowe, 46, of Roemer Road, was charged Tuesday and is scheduled to surrender Wednesday for preliminary arraignment on charges of insurance fraud, violating the controlled substance act and criminal conspiracy, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office.
Three members of her staff were arraigned Tuesday before District Justice Ronald Antos and released.
Kristi Brown, 19, of East Market Street, Sharon; Tawana Battles-Robinson, 35, of Sherman Avenue, Sharon; and Brandi Shrawder, 22, of North Street, West Middlesex, are each charged with insurance fraud and criminal conspiracy.
Allegations
According to criminal complaints filed to support the charges, investigators were first alerted by the pharmacy at Wal-Mart in Hermitage, Pa., that they were receiving many call-in prescriptions from Dr. Lowe for large amounts of Vicodin, Percocet and other controlled substances.
The prescriptions were for the same patients each month and sometimes picked up by Dr. Lowe, court papers stated.
There were multiple prescriptions for Brown, Battles-Robinson and Shrawder called in by Dr. Lowe, according to court papers.
Schrawder told authorities Dr. Lowe called in prescriptions for Schrawder for back pain or allergies and she would pick up the prescriptions and give half to the dentist. Dr. Lowe would sometimes put the prescription bottle on a shelf and distribute the pills to patients and other times she would not see the bottle again, according to court papers.
Court papers stated Dr. Lowe had similar dealings with Brown and Battles-Robinson.
Authorities said Dr. Lowe also called in prescriptions for Schrawder's mother, who was not a patient and did not authorize the prescriptions. Others interviewed by the attorney general's office also said they were unaware prescriptions had been filled in their names by Dr. Lowe or her staff, court papers stated.
One of Dr. Lowe's former staff members told authorities she believed the dentist started abusing prescription drugs from 1993 through 2001 after going through a "tough period" of financial problems and divorce.
The employee said she quit after finding that prescriptions were being written and filled by the dentist under the employee's name as well as the names of the employee's husband and daughter.