FARRELL — All four women charged in a scheme of defrauding insurance companies to obtain the painkiller Hydrocodone will face the charges in court.
Friday, Tawana Robinson, 35, of 946 Sherman Ave., Sharon, and Kristi L. Brown, 19, of 1322 W. Main St., Grove City, waived their preliminary hearing before District Judge Ronald Antos on one count each of insurance fraud and conspiracy to commit acquiring Hydrocodone by fraud.
Their former employer, Dr. Tamara Lowe, 46, of 1801 Roemer Blvd., Farrell, waived her hearing Jan. 5 on three counts of insurance fraud and one count each of acquiring Hydrocodone by fraud and conspiracy to commit acquiring Hydrocodone by fraud.
Brandi Shrawder, 22, of 24 North St., West Middlesex, had one count each of insurance fraud and conspiracy to commit acquiring Hydrocodone by fraud held for court Thursday.
All four have been released on their own recognizance or after posting bond.
According to the state Attorney General’s Office, Dr. Lowe, a dentist with her office at 919 Sharon-New Castle Road, Farrell, would call in prescriptions for employees, patients, her fiancé and others to local pharmacies, and she and the employees would pick up and pay for the drugs using their own insurance plans. The drugs included Vicodin and Vicoprofen, which contain Hydrocodone.
Dr. Lowe would reimburse employees for the co-pays and take possession of the pills, authorities said.
