MOUNT CARMEL - A borough couple have been charged with felony offenses involving the forgery of numerous prescriptions to obtain more than 1,500 pain pills at various area pharmacies over a four-month period.
Stacy Lynn Huber, 27, of 702 E. Fifth St., is charged by Patrolman David Donkochik with felonies of criminal conspiracy and acquiring or possessing a controlled substance by fraud or deception, and a misdemeanor of forgery.
Donkochik also charged Huber's 28-year-old husband, David Peter Hubler, with felonies of criminal conspiracy and acquiring or possessing a controlled substance by fraud or deception, and a misdemeanor of criminal conspiracy to commit forgery.
The charges relate to incidents that occurred between July 28 and Dec. 7.
The Hubers recently waived their rights to preliminary hearings on the charges and were ordered to appear for plea court March 5 at Northumberland County Courthouse in Sunbury, at which time they can plead guilty or no contest, or seek a trial.
According to an affidavit filed by Donkochik at the office of Magisterial District Judge Hugh Jones, the officer met at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 15 with Dr. Andrew Newton, owner-operator of Newton Psychiatric Clinic at 139 E. Fifth St., Mount Carmel, where Stacy Huber was employed.
Newton told Donkochik he received a telephone call from Brian Derk, a pharmacist at CVS Pharmacy in Mount Carmel Township, who advised him of possible suspicious activity involving several prescriptions coming through the pharmacy for pain medications, most of which were for oxycodone. Newton provided the officer with several printout sheets from several area pharmacies, including Rite Aid in Mount Carmel, Shamokin and Ashland, CVS in Mount Carmel Township and Community Pharmacy in Mount Carmel.
Police said medications were prescribed in the names of Stacy and David Huber. Newton also provided Donkochik with a printout from Community Pharmacy that indicates prescriptions were filled in the name of a patient on Oct. 31 and Nov. 19 for a total of 240 oxycodone 30mg tablets. Newton said he doesn't prescribe oxycodone to the patient who was only identified as DS on the police report.
On Dec. 16, David Huber told Donkochik he received several prescriptions from his wife for oxycodone, clonidine, buprenorphine, hydromorphone and suboxone between July 28 and Dec. 7. Huber said he was aware that his wife was in possession of stolen prescriptions and that she was writing prescriptions herself in both their names. Huber said he went to various pharmacies in Mount Carmel and Shamokin and received hundreds of controlled prescription narcotics. He also admitted that he consumed oxycodone and related medications between July 28 and Dec. 7. Huber said he took an average of 10 pills per week.
Donkochik said an investigation revealed Stacy Huber forged 22 prescriptions in the name of Dr. Andrew Newton for a total of 1,527 schedule II and schedule III medications from July 28 to Dec. 7. The pills included oxycodone, hydromorphine, suboxone and buprenorphone.
On Dec. 30, Donkochik interviewed Stacy Huber, who admitted forging prescriptions for various pain medications, including oxycodone.