Bradenton medical assistant faces 241 felonies for fake prescriptions, cops say
A 49-year-old Bradenton woman is facing 241 felony charges and a litany of misdemeanors after submitting fake prescriptions while working as a medical assistant to obtain drugs.
According to the Sarasota Police Department, Kelly A. Gaffney was working for a Bradenton doctor and submitted the fake prescriptions through Sarasota pharmacies. Police say the illegal activity went on for two years.
Police became aware of the activity on April 7 when contacted by the a pharmacist who became suspicious that Gaffney was submitting prescriptions for herself through her doctor employer, but she was not listed as a patient.
Gaffeny’s employer also was notified by the pharmacist and a check of the office’s prescriber profile in the Florida Prescription Drug Monitoring database revealed stolen prescriptions.
Detectives were able to determine that Gaffney was using falsified prescriptions since April of 2018 on a monthly basis for herself and her son, according to police.
Gaffney’s employer was redacted from the arrest report.
Over the course of two years, police say Gaffney was able to illegally obtain:
- 2,760 pills of morphine.
- 5,160 pills of Oxycodone.
- 1,530 pills of Lorazepam.
Gaffney was able to complete more than 100 illegal transactions to obtain the total amount, according to police.
Gaffney was arrested April 13 and as the investigation continued, additional charges were added April 28.
Charges include:
- 116 counts of obtaining or attempting to obtain by fraud.
- 116 counts of criminal use of personal identification information.
- 26 misdemeanor counts of possession of RX prescription blanks.
- Three counts of trafficking in morphine.
- Three counts of trafficking in oxycodone.
- Three counts of possession of a controlled substance.
Gaffney remains in the Sarasota County jail on bonds totaling $360,000.