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Trial Delayed For Pastor Charged With Passing Fake Prescriptions
July 15, 2010
Trial has been delayed in the case of the Alabama pastor accused of passing fake prescriptions at a Century pharmacy.
Bertha Y. Wright, 44, appeared before Escambia County Circuit Court Judge Nickolas Geeker on Wednesday. Her jury trial, which was scheduled to begin next Monday, was reset for September 20.
Wright was facing 28 drug-related charges — 11 counts of possessing a controlled substance without a prescription, 12 counts of possessing a new legend drug without a prescription, three counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, one count of trafficking in hydrocodone and one count of possession of a blank prescription. Prosecutors later dropped eight of the possession of a controlled substance charges.
She remains free from jail on $34,500 bond. She was reportedly a pastor at a Mt. Vernon, Alabama, church.
When Wright attempted to fill three prescriptions at Century Pharmacy on Mayo Street in March, the pharmacist suspected that they were fraudulent. Julie Moran called the doctor that allegedly issued the prescriptions, Dr. David Smith in Jay, and determined they were indeed fraudulent, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office incident report.
The first prescription was written for Phenergan and codeine. The second was for 180 methadone tablets, and the third was for 120 Soma tablets. All three were dated March 3, 2010. Deputy David Bashore contacted Dr. Smith by phone, and he advised that he last saw Wright in February and had written no new prescriptions for Wright.
Inside Wright’s purse, Bashore located an unlabeled prescription bottle containing methadone, a bottle with generic Lorcet and generic Soma mixed together, and a third bottle with methadone.
When deputies Michael Coburn and Tod Day searched Wright’s vehicle across the street from the pharmacy, they discovered a variety of medications — the sheriff’s office incident report lists about a dozen other medications by their identification numbers. The report identified 127 hydrocodone tablets and the muscle relaxer Carisoprodol. An ice-filled cooler in the vehicle also contained three bottles of an unknown substance, according to deputies. The vehicle and the medications were seized as evidence by the sheriff’s department.
Comments
11 Responses to “Trial Delayed For Pastor Charged With Passing Fake Prescriptions”
I’m not sure she is poor and I doubt anyone is happy this calamity happened.
I remember Elijah mocked the priests who couldn’t get their sacrifice burned up in the Battle of the Bullocks, how he mocked them and said maybe they need to shout to awaken Baal, how he really rubbed salt in the wounds when he called on them to soak HIS sacrifice down with the water which they themselves drew as if to make it impossible to burn, and then the Lord consumed it with HIS own fire.
It reads like an indicator of approval. Therefore, from a theological viewpoint, I can only assume there are cases when the Lord doesn’t mind mockery. (Not that I’m saying this lady needs to be mocked. It’s a sad case to give her life over to the opposition–if she did, and it looks like she may have.)
I know, we’re no Elijah but there’s usually a principle at play in such situations.
David wondering at the correct definition
of poor and its application
Big B
That’s fine if that’s your belief.
I believe in taking care of my family and I want criminals off
the streets permanently, especially ppl who take and distribute drugs.
And then you read the Bible and it says: Proverbs 17. 5, Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.
God will do his own punishing, we don’t have to do it for him.
david
no one could have said it better!
CRAZY . Im pretty sure God doesnt want these type of people representing him . She deserves every consiquence in every way .
“The jailhouse is not tailor made. Any one of us could find ourselves there for countless reasons. How many people drink and get into a car and drive. 1 beer and an accident could put you there!! ”
Are you saying you drink and drive “a little,” so it’s okay to do?
Yes, there are all kinds of crimes we could commit and put ourselves in jail. Or we could NOT commit those crimes and stay free. Most of the things which would land us in jail are things which hurt or endanger our neighbors.
“Where’s the love?” I can see love simply in not hurting others and leaving people alone in peace. That’s what most people want.
Yes, but what about helping those in need? If you know the person, you can help but not in a big showy way. Some constantly, quietly help others simply by sharing okra, greens or squash. Giving money to an addict isn‘t love. Letting criminals prey on the innocent isn‘t love.
How many starving families are we facing? I knew a man who would sell his POSSLQ’s food stamps to buy cigarettes. Maybe it left her hungry but she chose to give her food away for his addictions. What would you have us do?
You want to help the homeless. That’s good. What about those homeless because they are crazy and violent in enclosed spaces or are drug addicts or are pedophiles? I’m not saying all are, but if you take those in, you endanger those around you. They haven’t signed on to be raped, robbed or murdered.
How much love does that show?
David for real love
Where is the Love? Where is the humanity and compassion for our fellow citizens. This world is getting worse everyday and harder to live in it. If people had more love and compassion for their neighbors the world would be a better place. There is so much evil, lying, stealing and killing going all over the world. Ask yourself what can you personally do to make this world a better place. Look in the mirror! Do you see a perfect person looking back at you? Everybody has different things in thier lives to deal with and they do so differently. The jailhouse is not taylor made. Any one of us could find ourselves there for countless reasons. How many people drink and get into a car and drive. 1 beer and an accident could put you there!! What lengths would you go to to feed a starving family if you had no money and means of doing it. Escambia county’s homeless rate is terrible. How many have you offered to help or feed? Something to make you say HUM!!
Time to “face the music” !!!!
We who didn’t actually hear her sermons don’t actually know what she preaches or preached. I’ve seen plenty of people who talk about their church and live lives which make me wonder at their doctrines. I know many wonder at me and mine.
There are some interesting preachers out there who preach all kinds of things. What she did MAY have been consistent with what her teachings were. Not likely but there are some even less likely things which really happened in life.
Remember Jim Jones went to preaching he was God and people had to kill themselves when he said drink the poison laced Kool-Aid and over a thousand followers in Jonestown, Guyana did. Even at the worst, she’s better than many–not most, I hope, but many.
(and I think Purgatory is a Catholic concept unlike a simple Heaven/Hell concept of most folks. It’s an interesting idea: a place where people who died in their sins are purged of the sins and proceed to Heaven. Further, many preachers don’t like to mention such things because it makes people uncomfortable; they figure it’s better to let them go there than to warn against it.)
David in a world of many doctrines
holy cow,
that’s terrible and she portrays herself as a woman of God, and
probably gets in a pulpit and yells at others about their sins
and how their going to go to purgatory if they don’t do what she
tells them to do.
So I wonder who this paragon of virtue was going to pedal this stuff
to, some kidor just some kids mother so the kid still grows up to
be messed up.
Lock this one up and throw away the key.
Just another loser who wears a false coat.
Hmmmm….is she really who she claims to be…is she an ORDAINED pastor, holding a theology degree from a reputable college or university or is that just another ruse? It’s obvious she is forging the pescriptions…so how did she obtain the blank prescription pad?
Glad she’s off the street. I am sure God doesn’t want these type of people representing him!