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Three suspects in local drug ring face a judge

Posted at 5:29 PM, Feb 13, 2018
and last updated 2018-02-13 18:13:02-05

HAMPTON ROADS - Three suspects accused of being involved in a drug ring to sell percocet faced a judge Tuesday afternoon.

Court documents said members of the drug ring forged doctor's names and DEA numbers on prescriptions and sold them for a big profit.

The judge said several of the suspects still haven't been arrested -- but today a mid-level person in this ring was told she has to stay behind bars.

Court documents said the nine suspects were selling percocet on the streets for over seven months.

The group got 4,000 pills and often times sold them for ten times more than what they paid, according to court documents.

Tuesday, three of the suspects faced a judge. Two suspects were granted bond but one woman considered was told she has to stay in jail.

This scheme was reportedly going on all over Hampton Roads and prosecutors said at least 20 doctors' names were illegally used.

The indictment lists trip after trip to various pharmacies throughout Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach and evidence includes text messages and recorded phone calls from jail between the suspects.

Dr. Ryan Light with the Tidewater Physicians Multispecialty Group said stricter laws are making it tough on criminals, "The prescription drug abuse is that an epidemic across the country that is why the government has taken some major steps in a lot of states happens well. That's why we see the laws being changed in the state of Virginia."

Tuesday the judge said it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know how dangerous these pills can be in the community. The suspects are due back in court in March.

Related:

Names and information of local doctors used to obtain prescription drugs in organized drug operation