The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

July 10, 2008

Convicted dentist's ex-staff may be cleared

By Joe Pinchot

FARRELL —

Three ex-employees of Dr. Tamara J. Lowe, who were accused with her of illegally acquiring a prescription painkiller and defrauding insurance companies, have been accepted into a diversionary program.

If Kristi L. Brown, 21, of 1322 W. Main St., Grove City; Tawana Robinson, 37, of 946 Sherman Ave., Sharon; and Brandi Shrawder, 26, of 24 North St., West Middlesex, complete 2 years of probation, the charges will be dismissed, Mercer County Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher J. St. John said Thursday.

In a separate order last week, Judge Francis J. Fornelli said Dr. Lowe, 48, of 1801 Roemer Blvd., Farrell, had presented a sufficient plan to perform community service, and he struck the 6 months to 2 years of jail time she had been sentenced to in June.

The community service plan was not provided in Dr. Lowe’s docket, but Fornelli ordered that she perform 6 months of community service within one year.

Dr. Lowe, whose dental practice is at 919 Sharon-New Castle Road, Farrell, would call in prescriptions that contain Hydrocodone, a narcotic, for employees, patients, her fiancé and others, and she and the employees would pick them up and pay for them using their own insurance, said the state Attorney General’s Office, which investigated and prosecuted the case.

Dr. Lowe would reimburse employees for the co-pays and take possession of the pills for her own or office use.

Dr. Lowe pleaded guilty to charges of insurance fraud and a drug charge, and officials have said her dental license will be suspended for 10 years as a result of the drug conviction.

Her attorney, Joshua D. Lock of Harrisburg, said Dr. Lowe was “ashamed” and “reluctant” to seek pain medication from her doctor for her own medical problems.

In asking for Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition, Senior Deputy Attorney General Scott Robinette said Ms. Shrawder, Ms. Brown and Ms. Robinson confessed their involvement in the scheme, and agreed to cooperate with investigators and wait until Dr. Lowe’s case was completed before their own could be resolved.

All three told St. John they did not procure any of the drugs for themselves.

St. John said he is “pretty much obligated” to accept anyone into ARD when the prosecution requests it.

He stressed that, by entering ARD, they are not admitting guilt to any crime, but said the charges will remain active.

“The charges will still be waving over your head like a big sledge hammer,” the judge said.

Although no evidence of drug or alcohol abuse was presented against the woman, who started working for Dr. Lowe at ages 17 or 18, St. John said they will be required to undergo periodic drug tests.

He also ordered that that pay court and ARD costs and have no contact with Dr. Lowe.

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