Carroll Co. Drug Sting Nets Two TennCare Fraud Arrests

NASHVILLE, TN – Two people in Carroll County are charged with TennCare drug fraud, after a round-up that netted 25 arrests of people from Henry, Benton and Carroll Counties.  They’re all charged with drug offenses in an investigation involving the 24th Judicial District Drug Task Force, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and the Office of Inspector General (OIG).   The TennCare fraud charges involve people trying to sell their prescription drugs, paid for by TennCare, to an undercover informant.  

“Local law enforcement officials have been invaluable with the Office of Inspector General’s push to stop TennCare fraud,” Inspector General Deborah Faulkner said. “By pooling resources with local officials, we can cover much more ground and make more progress in tackling the drug fraud problem, especially when people try to use public dollars to finance it.”

The two people charged with TennCare fraud are as follows:

• Jaime Denise Ramos, also known as Jaime Denise Walker, 35, of Trezevant, charged with TennCare fraud, sale of the painkiller Oxycodone, a Schedule II drug, sale and delivery of Dihydrocodeinone,  a Schedule III drug, which was paid for by TennCare and sold to an undercover agent.
• Glenda Marie Pulley-King, 58, of Huntingdon, who is charged with two counts of TennCare fraud, two counts of selling a Schedule III controlled substance and two counts of delivery of a Schedule III controlled substance, for selling the painkiller Hydrocodone, paid for by TennCare, to an undercover agent.

Both TennCare fraud and the sale and delivery of a Schedule III controlled substance are Class E felonies carrying a sentence of up to two years in prison per charge, and sale of a schedule II controlled substance is a Class C felony, punishable by three to six years in prison. District Attorney General Hansel J. McCadams is prosecuting.

The OIG, which is separate from TennCare, began full operation in February 2005 and has investigated cases leading to over $3.5 million paid in restitution and recoupment to TennCare, with a total estimated cost avoidance of over $173 million for the TennCare program, according to latest figures.  To date, over 1,700 people have been charged with TennCare fraud.

Through the OIG Cash for Tips Program established by the Legislature, Tennesseans can get cash rewards for TennCare fraud tips that lead to convictions.  Anyone can report suspected TennCare fraud by calling 1-800-433-3982 toll-free from anywhere in Tennessee, or log on to www.tn.gov/tnoig and follow the prompts that read "Report TennCare Fraud."