A 66-year-old Canton nurse was one of 13 people charged this week in connection to a Cherokee County prescription forgery ring that could result in more than 200 felony charges.
Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad Commander Phil Price said nurse practitioner Kathryn Shoemaker’s access to the necessary documents, coupled with her knowledge of how to write a convincing prescription, facilitated the scam.
Shoemaker’s companion, Christopher Mason, 50, was the mastermind, Price said. Cherokee’s narcotics squad had been investigating the ring for five months after a tipster with knowledge of the scheme came forward. Officials say about 8,000 pills were obtained through the forged scripts.
Shoemaker and Mason, also of Canton, were charged with 15 counts of first degree forgery apiece. They are being held at the Cherokee Adult Detention Center with bond assigned for each at $36,000.
Two of the 11 other suspects have posted bond, while the rest remain in jail. Additional arrests are expected, Price said.
Shoemaker is also under investigation by the Secretary of State’s office, officials say. Her nursing license has been revoked.
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