Wayne Police have announced that they arrested two suspects in a prescription fraud scheme.
On October 21, 2020, the Wayne Police Special Operations Unit was contacted by a Wayne doctor who reported that he was the victim of ongoing prescription fraud.
The fraud involved someone illegally passing prescriptions in the doctor’s name at multiple pharmacies.
Wayne Police Detective Sergeant James Celentano and Detective Nick Pepe conducted an investigation that lasted 17 months.
After issuing multiple subpoenas and conducting interviews, it was determined that the doctor’s office manager, and her boyfriend, had conspired to steal numerous prescription blanks from the doctor and fraudulently fill them out.
They then used those illegally made prescriptions to obtain approximately 4,080 Percocet tablets from pharmacies in Totowa and Paterson on numerous occasions.
On March 8, 2022, arrests were made in the case.
Arrested were Luz Valle, 53, of Paterson and Javier Sanchez, 48, of Paterson.
Ms. Valle was charged with Conspiracy to Obtain a Controlled Dangerous Substance by Fraud and Theft.
Mr. Sanchez was charged with Conspiracy to Obtain a Controlled Dangerous Substance by Fraud, Forgery, Receiving Stolen Property and Obtaining a Controlled Dangerous Substance by Fraud.
Both were released on summonses in accordance with bail reform guidelines.