13th suspect charged in yearlong drug sting

Published 12:29 am Wednesday, July 4, 2012

A 13th Warren County resident was arrested Tuesday morning on drug charges as part of a yearlong investigation and string of arrests by the Warren County Sheriff’s Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Riva Jones, 37, 902 Blossom Lane Apartment F1, was arrested Tuesday at 9:49 a.m. at her home by deputies and DEA agents, Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace said.

She is charged with five counts of obtaining a controlled substance, hydrocodone, by fraud, jail records showed.

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“We call it doctor-shopping,” Pace said. “It’s going to multiple doctors with complaints to obtain prescription drugs.”

The first 11 arrests were made June 13, and a 12th arrest was made June 26.

Oxycodone and hydrocodone, both classified by the federal government as Schedule II or III controlled medications, and Xanax, a Schedule IV substance, were some of the medications associated with the arrests.

Pace did not say whether Jones is accused of taking the medication herself or selling it.

“We’re not going to comment on the specifics right now,” Pace said. “It’s an ongoing investigation, and there will be more to follow.”

Jones was released on $10,000 bond Tuesday afternoon. The 12 others arrested in the roundup are:

• Colum Woodson, 32, 2625 Alma St. — five counts of obtaining controlled substance by fraud; $10,000 bond

• Teresa Burchfield, 52, 1865 Ring Road — four counts of obtaining controlled substance by fraud; $8,000

• Dianna Hodges, 24, 187 Grange Hall Road — sale of a controlled substance (hydrocodone); $7,500

• Dawn Burroughs, 57, 1309 River Bend Cove — five counts of obtaining controlled substance by fraud; $10,000

• Allison Launius, 30, 2649 Oak Ridge Road, Lot 1 — sale of a controlled substance (hydrocodone); $7,500

• Albert Benson, 60, 915 Locust St. — five counts of obtaining controlled substance by fraud; $10,000

• Joel Wright, 56, 1216 Bonelli St. — five counts of obtaining controlled substance by fraud; $10,000

• Tim Buford, 51, 5615 Jeff Davis Road — two counts of obtaining controlled substance by fraud; $4,000

• Christine Hicks, 42, 1512 Ethel St. — five counts of obtaining controlled substance by fraud; $10,000

• Minor Ray, 50, 801 Clay St., Apt. 3E — five counts of obtaining controlled substance by fraud; $10,000

• Chasty Moore, 22, 1245 Mount Alban Road, Lot 6 — one count of sale of Xanax, $7,500; one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, $1,500

• Sean Calvary, 31, 230 Clark Road — three counts of obtaining controlled substances by fraud; no bond information available.

The jail reported all but Calvary, for whom no information was available, had been released on bond.