The charges are the result of an investigation by the Office of Attorney General's Bureau of Narcotics Investigation.
The investigation revealed Virginia Vesay, 61, the physician's assistant, called in or wrote prescriptions for controlled substances that were filled at various pharmacies in Schuylkill County.
The prescriptions that were filled during the alleged conspiracy included the office name of the Maryland health care practice where Vesay was previously employed, according to a criminal complaint. Investigators later interviewed one of the practice's physicians. He said that he did not authorize any prescriptions to be filled in Pennsylvania, nor did Vesay have permission to do so, the criminal complaint states.
The controlled substances were allegedly obtained between September 2014 and March 2015. The prescriptions were allegedly filled by Vesay and her daughter, Jessie Vesay, 26, as well as Deborah Kramer, 49, and Angela Kramer, 23. Virginia Vesay is Deborah Kramer's step mother, investigators reported.
The controlled substances that were acquired include Vicodin and Lorazepam, among others. More than 9,000 pills were obtained through the conspiracy, the criminal complaint states.
Virginia Vesay, 409 St. Francis St., Minersville, is charged with one count each of conspiracy to acquire a controlled substance by fraud, conspiracy to possess a controlled substance, improper use of a registration number, identity theft and practicing medicine without a license. Her bail was set at $50,000 unsecured at a preliminary arraignment today.
Jessie Vesay, 409 St. Francis St., Minersville, Deborah Kramer, 415 St. Francis St., Minersville, and Angela Kramer, 37 High Road, Pottsville, are all charged with one count each of conspiracy to acquire a controlled substance by fraud and conspiracy to possess a controlled substance. All three defendants' bail was set at $25,000 unsecured at preliminary arraignments today.
The defendants are all tentatively scheduled to appear Dec. 8 for a preliminary hearing. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Christie Bonesch of the Office of Attorney General's Drug Strike Force Section.