WAYNE COUNTY RESIDENTS ARRESTED FOR TENNCARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG FRAUD

NASHVILLE – Two Wayne County residents have been charged with TennCare prescription drug fraud. The arrests bring to 191 the number of people charged with TennCare fraud by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) in the past year.

Katie Skelton, 62 and Karen Norwood, 42, face charges related to drug diversion – or selling prescription medications paid for by TennCare. The two women are accused of selling Lortab and Lorcet, brand versions of the painkiller hydrocodone, on separate occasions to agents of the Waynesboro Police Department.

“Waynesboro police officers laid the groundwork for this case and asked for assistance, and that’s the kind of cooperation we’re building statewide,” Inspector General Deborah Faulkner said. “Local officers are usually the first point of contact with some of those who are committing TennCare fraud, and they want to get it off the streets as badly as we do.”

Mike Bottoms, District Attorney for Wayne County and Assistant D.A. Doug Discus are prosecuting the cases. If convicted, both women could be sentenced to a maximum six years in prison. They were each released on $10,000 bond.

Anyone can report suspected TennCare fraud by calling 1-800-433-3982 toll-free from anywhere in Tennessee, or log on to www.tennessee.gov/tenncare and follow the prompts that read "Report Fraud Now".