11 Phoenix Opioid Ring Defendants Indicted, 4 On The Run

PHOENIX, AZ – Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced in a news release Tuesday that 11 individuals were indicted by a State Grand Jury on suspicion of involvement with a Phoenix opioid ring that ripped off doctors’ and nurse practitioners’ identities so perpetrators could forge illegal oxycodone prescriptions. The Attorney General’s office is still searching for four of the indicted defendants who are currently fugitives.

The case began in March 2018, when a nurse practitioner filed a complaint with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office stating his belief that his identity was used for fake oxycodone prescription writing. Emily Ruth Richardson and Edward Bektashi were found with forged prescriptions from 16 doctors and nurse practitioners. The investigation additionally uncovered 36 incidents of filling fake opioid prescriptions.

The indicted defendants stand accused of 125 felony charges, including Conspiracy, Assisting a Criminal Syndicate, Participating in a Criminal Syndicate, Fraudulent Schemes and Artifices, Taking the Identity of Another, Aggravated Taking the Identity of Another, Forgery, Acquisition of Narcotic Drugs by Fraud, Acquisition of Dangerous Drugs by Fraud, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of Dangerous Drugs.

The Arizona AG’s office was assisted in their investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and the Mesa and Chandler police departments. The prosecuting attorney on the case will be Assistant Attorney General Matthew Williams. The AG’s office also issued a reminder that all indicted are presumed innocent unless or until convicted.

4 indicted still on the run:

-Jeannine Gomez, 40

-Latisha Shelice Stennis, 24

-De’Aundray J. Frazier, 30

-Patrick Lee Hargett, 41

Arrested:

-David Edward Bektashi, 49

-Emily Ruth Richardson, 38

-Julie Ann Adams, 37

-Cynthia Meeks Murphy, 68

-Bryan James Kaminskas, 33

-Michael Kenneth Taflinger, 42

Served with indictment:

-Anthony J. Harms, 44

The AG’s office is asking anyone with information on the 4 fugitive indictees’ whereabouts to call 602-542-0381.