July 14, 2007

Former CVS pharmacist charged with stealing from employer

By GLEN WERLING

A former pharmacist for CVS in Bluffton has been charged with stealing from her employer.

Suranna L. Ashman, 39, of 405 West Lancaster St., has been charged with five counts of theft, three counts of possession of a controlled substance, two counts of unlawful possession or use of a legend drug and attempting to obtain legend drugs by fraud. She was booked into the Wells County Jail but then posted $55,000 bond for release. An initial hearing has been set for Aug. 21 in Wells Circuit Court.

According to a report filed with the court by Det. Kyle Randall of the Bluffton Police Department, Ashman’s thefts from the store began sometime last year. She allegedly admitted to CVS Regional Loss Prevention Manager Keith Gregory that she had stolen approximately 1,000 pills of Carisoprodol, a legend drug that is the generic form of Soma, a prescription sleep medication.

She is also charged with stealing a bottle of Butorphanol Tartrate, a Schedule IV narcotic pain killer. According to documents filed with the court by Randall, Ashman on April 26 completed a fraudulent prescription for Drixoral, a legend drug, which she used to treat allergy symptoms, using Dr. Marcelo Gavilanez’s name as the prescribing physician. The report noted that Ashman had not seen Dr. Gavilanez and obtained the Drixoral through a fraudulent act.

Then, on May 3, the report alleges she again used Gavilanez’s name to complete a fraudulent prescription for Hydrocodone Bitartrate, a schedule III narcotic drug, to treat some back pain she was experiencing.

“Suranna Ashman was a pharmacist licensed by the State of Indiana who knowingly created a false prescription order,” Randall stated in his report.

To compound the illegal activity, according to Randall’s report, Ashman used the CVS Employee Prescription Insurance Policy to pay just $7.50 for the medicine, causing the insurance company to suffer a $69.90 loss by the transaction.

The report noted that Ashman is also charged with stealing items from the front of the store including makeup, hair care products, DVDs, books and lawn chairs as well as other items not listed in Gregory’s report.

Randall’s report stated that Ashman had admitted the thefts to Gregory and believed the matter was being handled through a civil action out of court. When Randall reportedly told her that the matter of CVS seeking to recoup its loss was a civil action and that he was conducting a criminal investigation, Ashman allegedly declined to speak further with Randall.

She has reportedly apologized for her actions and admitted that financial and family issues had caused her to abuse the drugs.

glenw@news-banner.com

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