Emlenton woman arraigned in prescription drugs case

By Randy Bartley
Staff Writer

An Emlenton woman faces more than 80 years in prison for her alleged role in the acquisition of unauthorized medical prescriptions through Clarion Hospital.

Trisha L. Boocks, 48, has been charged with 12 counts of acquiring or possessing a controlled substance by misrepresentation.

Clarion County Senior Judge James Arner told Boocks during her formal arraignment Jan. 8 that each count is punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.

Boocks has also been charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance, and that is punishable by one year in prison and a $2,500 fine.

In addition to Boocks, Brittany Lynn Reed, 36, of Clarion, and Charity Schill, 44, of Lucinda, were also charged in the same case.

Reed and Schill are charged with two counts each of possession of a controlled substance and procuring a drug by forgery for self-use.

A criminal complaint says the Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigation and Drug Control initiated an investigation after being alerted by Clarion Hospital staff in November that they had discovered there were prescriptions issued in Boocks’ name for the narcotic Phentermine.

A doctor denied writing the prescriptions for Boocks.

The complaint says the violations were discovered when Boocks tried to obtain a refill prescription from a practice associated with Clarion Hospital. A Clarion Hospital employee discovered that Boocks had received numerous prescriptions for Phentermine under the doctor’s name, the complaint said.

Similar false prescriptions were used multiple times throughout 2018, according to the complaint.

Boocks remains free on her own recognizance.