Accused Prescription Forger Offers Deal

A Buford man informed a Gwinnett County Police officer that he was willing to assist in their investigation of his prescription forgery case if detectives were willing to “work something out.”

Jacob Stokes, of 7090 Spring Valley Drive in Buford, extended the offer after being arrested on Aug. 11 at the for prescription forgery.

According to the police report, Stokes presented prescriptions for Oxycontin and Lortab to the Kroger pharmacy technician. Though the prescription appeared to have been issued from Gwinnett Medical Center, there was no hospital barcode or hospital label at the top of the page. Believing the prescription to be fraudulent, the pharmacy technician consulted with one of his coworkers who then called the issuing doctor’s office. The nurse at the doctor’s office asked the pharmacy technician to fax a copy of the prescription to her. Upon review, the nurse confirmed the signature was not that of the doctor listed on the prescription. Furthermore, the nurse advised the doctor was out of town and not currently seeing patients.

The pharmacy technician subsequently called police. The responding officer confronted Stokes when he returned to pick up the prescription. Stokes insisted the prescription was legitimate. When the officer informed him that the doctor’s office had confirmed it was a forgery, Stokes reportedly had no response.

While enroute to the jail, Stoke allegedly asked the officer, “If I tell ya’ll who’s got those prescriptions, can I work something out?”

The officer replied that he would notify a narcotics investigator to which Stokes reportedly replied, “Well they have to do something for me. I’m not going to tell them anything for free.”

Stokes was transported to the Gwinnett County Detention Center and charged with one count of prescription forgery. He was released from jail on Aug. 19 on a $8,450 bond.