11 Indicted in Phoenix Opioid Ring 4 Defendants on the Run

PHOENIX - Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced a State Grand Jury indicted 11 people accused of being involved in an opioid ring that stole the identities of nurse practitioners and doctors in order to write fake prescriptions. Four of 11 the defendants indicted are currently on the run and wanted by the Attorney General’s Office.

Anyone with information on their whereabouts should call 602-542-0381.

In March of 2018, the Arizona Attorney General’s Office received a complaint from a nurse practitioner who believed that his personal identifying information may have been used to write fake prescriptions for Oxycodone. During the investigation, David Edward Bektashi and Emily Ruth Richardson were allegedly found in possession of fake prescriptions from 16 different nurse practitioners and doctors. The investigation also identified 36 separate transactions where the defendants accused of filling fraudulent prescriptions for opioids.

The defendants face 125 felony counts, including Fraudulent Schemes and Artifices, Participating in a Criminal Syndicate, Assisting a Criminal Syndicate, Conspiracy, Aggravated Taking the Identity of Another, Acquisition of Narcotic Drugs by Fraud, Forgery, Taking the Identity of Another, Acquisition of Dangerous Drugs by Fraud, Possession of Dangerous Drugs, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

The Arizona Attorney General’s Office conducted the investigation along with the Chandler Police Department, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Mesa Police Department.

WANTED:

  1. Jeannine Gomez, 40
  2. Latisha Shelice Stennis, 24
  3. De’Aundray J. Frazier, 30
  4. Patrick Lee Hargett, 41

ARRESTED:

  1. David Edward Bektashi, 49
  2. Emily Ruth Richardson, 38
  3. Julie Ann Adams, 37          
  4. Cynthia Meeks Murphy, 68
  5. Bryan James Kaminskas, 33
  6. Michael Kenneth Taflinger, 42

SERVED WITH INDICTMENT:

  1. Anthony J. Harms, 44

Assistant Attorney General Matthew Williams is prosecuting this case.

All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless they are convicted in a court of law.


DAVID EDWARD BEKTASHI - ARRESTED


EMILY RUTH RICHARDSON - ARRESTED


JULIE ANN ADAMS - ARRESTED


CYNTHIA MEEKS MURPHY - ARRESTED


BRYAN JAMES KAMINSKAS - ARRESTED


MICHAEL KENNETH TAFLINGER - ARRESTED


ANTHONY J. HARMS - SERVED WITH SUMMONS


JEANNINE GOMEZ - WANTED


LATISHA SHELICE STENNIS - WANTED


DE’AUNDRAY J. FRAZIER - WANTED


PATRICK LEE HARGETT - WANTED