ST. PETERSBURG – A surgeon employed at Bay Pines VA Medical Center is out on bond after his arrest on multiple counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud.
Richard Carpenter, 58, of St. Petersburg was arrested at Bay Pines hospital, 10000 Bay Pines Blvd., Jan. 30 and taken to the Pinellas County jail where he was charged with five counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and one attempt to obtain a controlled substance by fraud. He was released the same day on $30,000 bond.
According to investigators with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Carpenter has been fraudulently obtaining the prescription drugs since October of 2012.
Investigators received information Jan. 28 about a prescription fraud case involving a doctor.
According to the information received, Carpenter had called in several fraudulent Valium (Diazepam) prescriptions for himself beginning in October 2012.
Investigators say that Carpenter used an acquaintance doctor’s name and DEA number to obtain the prescriptions illegally. Carpenter also used his health care insurance to offset the cost of the prescription.
In all, Carpenter obtained at least 500 Valium 5 mg pills and had attempted to obtain more before his arrest. The investigation continues.
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