A Southeast Georgia pharmacist is facing federal charges and possibly years behind bars for allegedly falsifying documents to the Drug Enforcement Agency.
Prosecutors say Janice Ann Colter was in charge of Agape Prescriptions “R” Us Inc., d/b/a Darien Pharmacy, where she played a role in having nearly a million doses of opioids filled and allegedly falsifying paperwork to the overseeing federal agency.
Court records indicate Colter filled a large number of prescriptions for high prescribing physicians. “No less than a million doses” per records, to which about a third of those went to just three doctors — not named in federal documents.
Colter allegedly falsified statements on compliance audits to the Drug Enforcement Agency between 2015 and 2017. At the time she was the pharmacist in charge and the Chief Financial Officer of Darien Pharmacy.
First Coast News reached out to Colter’s attorney, but did not hear back.
A statement from the DEA Special Agent in Charge, Robert J Murphy, said:
“Some of these licensed practitioners dispense addictive substances under the guise of “professional practice when in reality they act like a common drug dealer.”
The On Your Side team spoke via FaceTime with Congressman Earl “Buddy” Carter who represents Georgia’s 1st District, which stretches along the coast from the Florida border to Savannah, including Darien. Carter is also a pharmacist by trade.
“I don’t think it’s more offensive to anyone else than it is to someone in that profession,” Carter said.
Carter has co-sponsored legislation to address opioid use, both from the prescriber and user side. He added that there is still more to be done.
“We have to have some limitations particularly on this class of drugs because we do understand how addictive it is and how much of a problem it is, and the only way we’re going to get it under control is to have some limitations on it,” Carter said.
Colter is due in federal court July 29. If found guilty, she faces five years in jail and a fine of no more than $250,000.