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Pinellas Sheriff Makes 23 Arrests in “Operation Script Rip,” Expects More to Come

OperationScriptRip|PinellasCountySheriff|Crime

Pinellas County sheriff’s deputies arrested 23 suspects during “Operation Script Rip,” an investigation that targeted a group responsible for filling approximately 417 fraudulent prescriptions at local pharmacies. An additional 18 suspects are still being sought with more than 200 criminal charges.

PINELLAS COUNTY – Sheriff’s deputies here have charged 23 St. Petersburg, Largo and Pinellas Park residents with filling fraudulent prescriptions.

More arrests are expected, according to Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri. Deputies are searching for 18 more who have committed more than 200 crimes.

Operation Script Rip 2 | Pinellas County Sheriff | Crime

The arrests came as a result of “Operation Script Rip,” an investigation that began in August 2015 when narcotics detectives received information that 35-year-old Rakiah Darden of Largo was providing fraudulent prescriptions for Xanax to associates of hers.

During the course of the investigation, detectives determined that Darden worked as a medical office assistant at Medical Home Doctors LLC, 2198 15th Ave. S in St. Petersburg. During her employment there, Darden had complete access to the computer, fax machine, and the telephone in Dr. Jonadab Uzoho’s office. Deputies learned that Darden was calling in and faxing fraudulent prescriptions to local pharmacies under the doctor’s name without the doctor’s knowledge.

Detectives say that Darden’s brother, 26-year-old Rory Darden and three others, 33-year-old Stephen Ford, 30-year-old Olympia Hines, and 23-year-old Fitzgerald Wright, recruited “runners” who went to local pharmacies to pick up the Xanax prescriptions. Each prescription contained about 90 tablets that were 2 mg each, deputies said.

Deputies said the “runners” returned the Xanax to Darden and her associates for cash or drugs. Daren and her associates then sold the Xanax illegally on the street.

Detectives estimate that Darden and her associates obtained about 37,410 total Xanax pills, which have an estimated street value of $5 a pill. The total value of the pills was about $187,050.

Operation Script Rip | Pinellas County Sheriff | Crime

They were all transported to the Pinellas County Jail. Additional arrests are forthcoming, deputies said.

The suspects arrested during “Operation Script Rip”:

Rakiah F. Darden, 35
13435 Adams Circle, Apt. B265, Largo
Charges: 19 counts- Obtain Alprazolam by Fraud; 1 count- Conspiracy to Obtain Alprazolam by Fraud; 1 count- Scheme to Defraud; 1 count of Unlawful Use of Two-Way Communication Device

Rakiah Darden | Pinellas Sheriff | Crime
Rakiah Darden

Rory W. Darden, 26
4761 1st Ave. N, St. Petersburg
Charges: 10 counts- Obtain Alprazolam by Fraud; 1 count- Scheme to Defraud; 1 count- Conspiracy to Obtain Alprazolam by Fraud; 1 count- Possession of Marijuana

Rory Darden | Pinellas Sheriff | Crime
Rory Darden

Anthony R. Clark, 23
7524 41st Ave. N, St. Petersburg
Charges: 1 count- Obtain Controlled Substance by Fraud; 1 count Uttering Forged Instrument

Anthony Clark | Pinellas Sheriff | Crime
Anthony Clark

Shayla S. Coleman, 27
1700 18th St. S, St. Petersburg
Charges: 1 count- Obtain Alprazolam by Fraud

Shaniqua K. Milner, 29
4761 1st Ave. N, St. Petersburg
Charges: 8 counts- Obtain Alprazolam by Fraud; 1 count- Scheme to Defraud

Shaniqua Milner | Pinellas Sheriff | Crime
Shaniqua Milner

Avery B. McFadden, 23
6812 50th Ave. N, St. Petersburg
Charges: 1 count- Obtain Alprazolam by Fraud; 1 count- Uttering Forged Instrument

Avery McFadden | Pinellas Sheriff | Crime
Avery McFadden

Olympia A. Hines, 30
3427 39th Land S, St. Petersburg
Charges: 9 counts- Obtain Alprazolam by Fraud; 1 count- Conspiracy to Obtain Alprazolam by fraud; 1 count- Scheme to Defraud

Olympia Hines | Pinellas Sheriff | Crime
Olympia Hines

Bianca S. Stanard, 25
2100 40th St. S, Apt. #4, St. Petersburg
Charges: 4 counts- Obtain Alprazolam by Fraud; 1 count- Uttering Forged Instrument; 1 count- Scheme to Defraud

Bianca Stanard | Pinellas Sheriff | Crime
Bianca Stanard

Damarius S. Thompson, 23
2705 36th Ave., St. Petersburg
Charges: 3 counts- Obtain Alprazolam by Fraud; 1 count- Scheme to Defraud

Damarius Thompson | Pinellas Sheriff | Crime
Damarius Thompson

Matthew Buchner, 24
6744 36th Ave. N, St. Petersburg
Charges: 5 counts-Obtain Controlled Substance by Fraud; 1 count- Uttering a Forged Instrument; 1 count- Scheme to Defraud.

Matthew Buchner | Pinellas Sheriff | Crime
Matthew Buchner

LaQuita J. Glenn, 25
4725 1/2 15th Ave. S, St. Petersburg
Charges: 1 count- Obtain Controlled Substance by Fraud

LaQuita Glenn | Pinellas Sheriff | Crime
LaQuita Glenn

Austin J. Harrison, 25
1759 26th Ave. N, St. Petersburg
Charges: 1 count- Obtain Alprazolam by Fraud

Austin Harrison | Pinellas Sheriff | TB Reporter
Austin Harrison

Acacia R. Hazley, 24
1102 13th Ave. S, St. Petersburg
Charges: 5 counts- Obtain a Controlled Substance by Fraud; 1 count- Uttering Forged Instrument; 1 count- Scheme to Defraud

William J. Lane, 53
6290 62nd Way, Pinellas Park
Charges: 1 count- Obtain a Controlled Substance by Fraud

Crystal N. Lightner, 34
4710 25th Ave. S, St. Petersburg
Charges: 4 counts- Obtain Alprazolam by Fraud; 1 count- Scheme to Defraud; 1 count- Vilation of Probation (Possession of Marijuana)

Crystal Lightner | Pinellas Sheriff | Crime
Crystal Lightner

Rebecca L. Meyer, 23
1671 67 St. N, Apt. #332, St. Petersburg
Charges: 2 counts- Obtaining a Controlled Substance

Rebecca Meyer | PInellas Sheriff | Crime
Rebecca Meyer

Jasmine N. Mims, 22
2619 59th Avenue South, St. Petersburg
Charges: 1 count- Obtain Alprazolam by Fraud

Jasmine Mims | Pinellas Sheriff | Crime
Jasmine Mims

Holly M. Palm, 24
12100 Seminole Blvd., Lot # 389, Largo
Charges: 2 counts- Obtain a Controlled Substance by Fraud; 1 count- Possession of Alprazolam; 1 count- Possession of Marijuana; 1 count- Disorderly Intoxication

Holly Palm | Pinellas Sheriff | Crime
Holly Palm

Jordan Phillips, 25
2515 4th Ave. S, St. Petersburg
Charges: 1 count- Obtaining a Controlled Substance; 1 count- Uttering a Check with Forged Endorsement

Jordan Phillips | Pinellas Sheriff | Crime
Jordan Phillips

Novia M. Rojas, 26
4109 Haines Road N, St. Petersburg
Charges: 1 count- Obtain Controlled Substance by Fraud; 1 count- Uttering a Forged Instrument

Novia Rojas | Pinellas Sheriff | Crime
Novia Rojas

Donald J. Vinson, 22
226 SW Lincoln Circle, St. Petersburg
Charges: 2 counts- Obtaining a Controlled Substance; 1 count- Uttering a Forged Instrument

Donald Vinson | Pinellas Sheriff | Crime
Donald Vinson

Alexander T. Vo, 23
5590 90th Ave. N, Pinellas Park
Charges: 2 counts- Obtain Controlled Substance by Fraud

Alexander Vo | Pinellas Sheriff | Crime
Alexander Vo

Arkia R. Walker, 33
5014 68th Way N, Apt. #2101, St. Petersburg
Charges: 1 count- Obtain Alprazolam by Fraud

Arkia Walker | Pinellas Sheriff | Crime
Arkia Walker

For information about the Pinellas County sheriff, go to pcsoweb.com.

Photographs and charts courtesy of the Pinellas County sheriff.

Pinellas Sheriff | Drug Bust | Operation Script Rip | Crime | TB Reporter

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