Former Medical Assistant at Desoto Regional Health System Pleads Guilty in Federal Court

SHREVEPORT, La. - United StatesAttorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Debra Bossier a/k/a Debra Palmer, 48, of Mansfield, Louisiana, entered a guilty plea today to one count of acquiring or obtaining controlled substances by fraud. The hearing was held before United States District Judge Donald E. Walter.

According to evidence presented to the court, Bossier worked as a Medical Assistant at the Desoto Regional Health System (Desoto Regional) in Mansfield, Louisiana. Desoto Regional used an Electronic Medical Records System to document patient encounters and generate electronic prescriptions. Bossier used the Electronic Medical Records System to falsely document telephone encounters to obtain controlled substances by fraud and forgery by generating controlled substance prescriptions for herself, her husband, her daughters, and a daughter's boyfriend.

The primary controlled substances that Bossier obtained by fraud were Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen 10-325 which is sometimes marketed under the brand name "Norco" and Oxycodone-Acetaminophen 10-325 which is sometimes marketed under the brand name "Percocet." Bossier also fraudulently generated prescriptions for Adderall, Vyvanse, and Ativan. During the scheme to defraud, Bossier improperly generated over 200 prescriptions.

Once the prescriptions were generated, Bossier would print the prescriptions and mark them with an "E" above the name of the physician who allegedly prescribed the medications and would fill them at Mansfield Drug Company or would provide the fraudulent prescriptions to her family members. The family members would then fill the prescriptions at Mansfield Drug Company. One of the fraudulent prescriptions was filled at Mansfield Drug Company on October 31, 2019. Bossiergenerated this prescription for 120 tablets of Percocet for herself in the name of Debra Palmer. Percocet contains Oxycodone, a Schedule II controlled substance.

"Medical providers and their employees have a duty to put patient's interests ahead of their own and not take advantage of their employment situation for personal gain," said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. "The defendant in this case fraudulently obtained multiple controlled substances for herself and others without a valid prescription. This office will continue to hold those accountable who commit such selfish acts."

Bossier faces a maximum sentence of not more than four years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing has been set for February 10, 2023 at 11:00.

The case is being investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook.

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