4 Women Illegally Obtained 17,000-Plus Pills, State AG Says

PITTSBURGH, PA - Four southwestern Pennsylvania residents have been charged with illegally diverting more than 17,000 pills via 264 fake prescriptions. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, whose office filed the charges, said three of the four defendants work or have worked in the medical field.

Charged were Joyce Gallagher, 53, of Mt. Washington; Corrina Hoggard, 44, of Wexford; Sylvia Marino, 53, of Leechburg and Melissa Riggle, 37, of Lower Burrell.

“My Office is committed to prosecuting drug dealers, whether they’re operating on street corners, in doctors’ offices—or from behind an illegally-obtained prescription pad,” Shapiro said in a release. “Prescription drugs are fueling the opioid crisis and I am focused on stopping illegal diversions of these powerful opioid medications.”

According to Shapiro’s office:

Gallagher faces felony charges of insurance fraud, drug offenses and other related misdemeanors after illegally filling 92 fake prescriptions to illegally obtain over 2,900 Oxycodone and Hydrocodone pills. According to the criminal complaint, Gallagher, who formerly worked at an oral surgery practice, allegedly wrote prescriptions under the names of her father, three sisters, brother-in-law and nephew without the doctor’s knowledge.

Hoggard is charged with multiple felony counts of insurance fraud, drug offenses and other related misdemeanors. She allegedly obtained Oxycodone, Hydrocodone and other drugs, by filling 54 fraudulent prescriptions by using her and her husband’s names at Rite Aid and Walgreens pharmacies in Butler County.

Marino was employed as a nurse and Riggle as a medical assistant at the same neurology practice in Allegheny County. They both are charged with multiple felony counts of insurance fraud and drug offenses. Marino is additionally charged with other related misdemeanors.

Between March 2014 and April 2018, Marino allegedly called in and/or wrote fraudulent prescriptions for herself, her daughter, and Riggle for approximately 118 fake prescriptions for 12,000 Oxycodone and Hydrocodone pills. According to the criminal complaint, Marino used a blank prescription pad belonging to a doctor at the practice where she worked to forge the prescriptions, without the doctor’s knowledge.

Marino’s daughter was a patient of the doctor’s, but had never been legitimately prescribed Oxycodone or Hydrocodone. Marino also agreed to write out fraudulent Xanax and narcotic prescriptions for Riggle’s use, the criminal complaint alleges.

Pills photo via Getty Images; Gallagher, Hoggard, Marino and Riggle via Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office.

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