Mental HealthHoward County Pharmacy Owner Indicted For Health Care Fraud
A federal grand jury yesterday indicted Pamela Arrey, age 48, of
Glenelg, Maryland, for health care fraud and aggravated identity theft, announced United States
Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.
According to the 13 count indictment, Arrey owned and operated two pharmacies trading
as the Medicine Shoppe, on Liberty Road and Reisterstown Road in Baltimore. From January
2003 to July 2008, Arrey allegedly claimed reimbursement from health care benefit programs for
purported "refills" of prescriptions which patients had never requested and for which no
prescription drugs were ever dispensed to customers. The indictment seeks forfeiture of property
obtained by Arrey as a result of the scheme, including $350,000 and residential property located
in Glenelg, Maryland.
The indictment also alleges that Arrey used the identity of patients to carry out the health
care fraud scheme.
Arrey faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each of the 12 counts of health
care fraud and a mandatory minimum of two years in prison consecutive to any other sentence
for aggravated identity theft. No court appearance has been scheduled.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed
innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the Department of Health and Human
Services - Office of Inspector General and the Food and Drug Administration - Office of
Criminal Investigations for their investigative work. Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant
United States Attorneys Sandra Wilkinson and Tonya Kelly Kowitz, who are prosecuting the
case.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration