Thirteen Cherokee County residents, including ten from Canton and a local nurse practitioner, have been arrested and charged in connection to an alleged prescription drug forgery ring that's been under investigation for five months.
The Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad, or C-MANS, announced the arrests on Friday afternoon, which were made possible after an investigation that spanned across north Georgia and resulted in charging the suspects with a total of 74 felonies.
Arrested were:
- Kimberly Morgan, 45, of Woodstock: 3 counts of forgery in the first degree. Remains in custody at Cherokee County Adult Detention Center with $7,200 bond.
- Kathryn Shoemaker, 66 years old of Canton: 15 counts of forgery in the 1st degree. Remains in custody with a $36,000 bond. Shoemaker is a nurse practitioner and C-MANS agents believe she had access to documents and information they assert was needed to carry out the crimes.
- Christopher Mason, 50 years old of Canton: 15 counts of forgery in the 1st degree. Remains in custody with a $36,000 bond.
- Joel Hufstetler, 47 years old of Canton: 2 counts of possession of dangerous drugs, drugs to be kept in original container, possession of methamphetamine, loitering and prowling and 1 count of forgery. Remains in custody with a $16,320 bond.
- Ramona Setser, 43 years old of Holly Springs: possession of heroin, possession of methamphetamine, possession of schedule II drug, possession of a schedule III drug, possession of a schedule IV drug, violation of probation and 3 counts of forgery in the first degree. She remains in custody with no bond.
- Jerry Pressley, 31 years old of Ball Ground: possession of oxycodone, possession of alprozolam, sale of methamphetamine, violation of probation and 1 count of forgery in the first degree. He remains in custody with no bond.
- Courtney Chapman, 26 years old of Canton: 5 counts of forgery in the first degree. Remains in custody with $12,000 bond.
- Rachel Bramlett, 43 years old of Canton: possession of methamphetamine and 1 count of forgery in the first degree. Released on Feb. 26 on a $13,600 bond.
- Terry Phyfe, 60 years old of Canton: 3 counts of forgery in the first degree. Remains in custody with a $7,200 bond.
- Regina Lawson, 44 years old of Canton: 1 count of forgery in the first degree. Released on Feb. 26 on a $2,400 bond.
- Christopher Dante Mason, 25 years old of Canton: 11 counts of forgery in the first degree. Remains in custody with a $26,400 bond.
- Christopher Prince, 35 years old of Canton: 5 counts of forgery in the first degree and violation of probation. He remains in custody with no bond.
- Ronald Rigdon, 61 years old of Canton: 1 count of forgery in the first degree. Released on Feb. 28 on a $2,400 bond.
Shoemaker also being investigated by the Georgia Secretary of State's office and has had her nursing license revoked, C-MANS said on Friday.
Agents were tipped off when prescriptions passed through Cherokee, which were later determined to be fraudulent and C-MANS, expect over 200 charges could be presented to a Cherokee County grand jury.
C-MANS agents believe 8,000 pills reached the streets in Cherokee County and more arrests should be expected as the investigation continues.
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