BENTON -- Four Scott County residents were arrested for alleged involvement in a prescription drug ring.
Arrested were: Lori Burton, 29, of Scott City, for fraudulently attempting to obtain a controlled substance; Lisa Poteet, 28, of Chaffee, for fraudulently attempting to obtain a controlled substance; Joseph Menz, 27, of Chaffee, six counts of forgery, six counts of fraudulently attempting to obtain a controlled substance and one count of stealing; and Bryan K. Sturm, 28, of Scott City, for fraudulently attempting to obtain a controlled substance and making a false affidavit.
Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter said in a Thursday news release that the Scott-Mississippi County Prescription Drug Task Force broke up this prescription drug ring operating in Sikeston, Charleston, Chaffee, East Prairie and Cape Girardeau just a few weeks after receiving a $10,000 grant to help fund investigations and promote awareness of prescription drug abuse.
Acting on information obtained by Mississippi County Sheriff Keith Moore concerning the theft of prescription pads from a Charleston physician, task force members began to gather information on several suspects by working through local pharmacies.
That information, shared throughout Scott, Mississippi and adjoining counties resulted in the arrests.
"It is this type of cooperation between agencies that is going to make it possible for law enforcement to track and arrest these criminals who operate in multiple jurisdictions," Walter said. "Locally-formed task forces with specific goals are going to make the difference in whether these cases get investigated or swept aside in favor of more glamorous meth and cocaine busts. Prescription drug abuse is increasing in our schools and elsewhere at an alarming rate and needs to be addressed along with the rest of the drug problem."
Burton posted a $2,000 bond and was released from the Scott County Jail on Oct. 3. Sturm posted a $2,500 on Oct. 14 and was released from the Scott County Jail.
Remaining in the Mississippi County Detention Center as of press time, are Poteet with a $5,000 cash bond, and Menz who has a $100,000 cash or surety bond for the prescription drug-related charges as well as a $500 bond on a previous non-support charge and $10,000 probation violation bond.