In a significant development from the Office of the Attorney General, Andrea Joy Campbell’s team has leveled indictments against an individual implicated in a deceptive and intricate drug diversion scheme. This indictment is a result of joint investigative efforts by the AG’s Medicaid Fraud Division, Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office, and Franklin Police Department.

Details of the Indictment:
Pascal Girault Jr., also known as Pascal Schnaider Jr. Girault, a 21-year-old from Stoughton, was indicted on Monday, September 11, 2023, by the Statewide Grand Jury in Suffolk Superior Court. The indictment comprises 10 counts, covering offenses such as possession with the intent to distribute a Class E substance, identity fraud, Medicaid false claims, and uttering false prescriptions.

Alleged Fraudulent Activities:
Between September 2021 and May 2022, Girault is alleged to have impersonated physicians and their staff to illegally obtain prescriptions. He is accused of calling pharmacies within Norfolk, Suffolk, and Middlesex County using stolen physician identifications, primarily for promethazine and promethazine with codeine, which he reportedly sold on the street for profit.

The AG’s Office asserts that Girault fabricated over two dozen prescriptions, with Medicaid covering 11 of these fraudulent prescriptions. In some instances, he also acquired azithromycin (“Z-Pak”) in a purported attempt to lend credibility to his fraudulent promethazine prescriptions.

The Drugs Involved:
Promethazine, a liquid antihistamine cough syrup, also known as “drank”, “lean”, or “green,” has a high street value. Often used illicitly and mixed with various substances to enhance flavor and effects, promethazine is taken in large and dangerous quantities. It can also be prescribed with codeine, a Schedule III narcotic painkiller, pre-mixed into the liquid.

Investigation and Cooperation:
This case is managed by the AG’s Medicaid Fraud Division and the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office, with crucial cooperation from the Franklin and Stoughton Police Departments and the Massachusetts State Police assigned to the AG’s office.

Conclusion:
This indictment underlines the continuous efforts by Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell’s Office to thwart the illegal obtaining and distribution of prescription drugs and sheds light on the elaborate schemes employed to exploit Medicaid. The collaborative approach adopted by various law enforcement agencies is vital in unearthing and tackling sophisticated frauds that burden the healthcare system and endanger public health.