WAYNE CO. MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO TENNCARE FRAUD

NASHVILLE, TN – The Office of TennCare Inspector General (OIG) today announced the guilty plea of a Wayne County TennCare enrollee on felony TennCare fraud and other related charges.

James R. Smotherman of Waynesboro pleaded guilty in Wayne Co. Circuit Court to charges of TennCare fraud, sale of controlled substances, drug possession, and attempted evidence tampering.
Smotherman will be sentenced to six years in prison. The Court accepted a plea agreement stipulating that Smotherman be sentenced to two years in prison for the TennCare fraud and drug charges. He received an additional four years in prison for violating his probation in a prior case. Similar TennCare fraud and drug charges are still pending in Wayne Co. Circuit Court against Smotherman’s wife, Alice.

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.”