Operation Shopping Spree nets 18 so far

Kevin Kelshaw reported to Historic City News that a six-month joint investigation titled “Operation Shopping Spree”, looking into illegally obtaining prescription pills by fraud, has thus far resulted in 18 arrests and issuance of an outstanding warrant for another.

Numerous complaints from citizens, law enforcement intelligence, as well as confidential sources were used to identify the illegal activity by St. Johns County Sheriff’s detectives, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and assistance from HIDTA Tri-County Narcotics Task Force.

According to information released to Historic City News this morning, those charged in this investigation were responsible for obtaining over 21,000 prescription pain pills by fraudulent means over the past two-plus years.

The defendants were said to have visited numerous doctors across nine different counties in the Northeast Florida region, all in the same month; illegally obtaining prescriptions for similar types of painkillers.

Charged in the investigation are:

Michael David Blevins, 35, 212 Estrada Ave., five counts;
James Nicholas Lacaze Sr., 42, 2118 Century Blvd. East, two counts;
Terry Wayne Milligan, 32, 4580 1st Ave., one count;
Holstead Vince Moody Sr., 37, 575 Josiah St., one count;
Robert Anthony Burgess, 46, 1409 San Rafael Ct., two counts;
James William Keeny Sr., 38, 1200 Sanitorium Ave., six counts;
Joshua Samuel Einbinder, 18, 305 Stonehurst Pkwy, two counts;
James Vincent Fasanello, 45, 254 Johns Creek Pkwy, seven counts;
Elizabeth Lourina Harjung, 40, 12351 Condor Dr., Jacksonville, six counts;
Casie Elizabeth Moore, 32, 130 S. 4th Ave., Jacksonville Beach, one count;
Amanda Westby Pietrzakowski, 32, 712 Wooded Hamlet Ct., one count;
Ginger Yvonne Robertson, 37, 8415 U.S. 1 South, three counts;
Angela Kay Short, 40, 358 St. George Ave., one count;
Amy Geneva Mae Suttle, 30, 2725 Old Moultrie Rd., five counts;
David Ralph Thornton, 43, 401 Easy St., five counts,
Kevin Scott Van Olphen, 41, 2952 Racetrack Rd., two counts,
Danielle Vanessa Taylor, 29, 2120 Old Tyme Ave., one count;
Kimberly Renee Piet, 30, 6498 Genovar Isle, one count.

The other suspect still being sought on an outstanding warrant is
Brenda Elaine Manucy, 38, 3550 Datura St., one count.

The three largest recipients of the prescription medication were Keeny, Blevins, and Burgess. Keeny received over 2800 pills from four doctors last year, Burgess was prescribed over 2600 pills between March and October last year from five doctors, and Blevins had received nearly 2500 pills from three doctors.

All of the subjects arrested were charged with either concealing information to obtain prescription medication or obtaining prescription medication by fraud and were booked into either the St. Johns or Duval County jails.

“The search for Manucy and further investigation of two others believed to be involved is continuing,” Kelshaw said.