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Couple, Son Charged With Doctor-Shopping For Prescriptions

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By KEITH MORELLI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 20, 2009

Temple Terrace police have filed charges against a couple and their son accused of doctor-shopping during the past 18 months, obtaining prescriptions for thousands of oxycodone and Xanax pills and selling them on the street.

Ricky Earl Herc, 62, and his wife, Terry Ann, 47, remained in the Orient Road Jail this morning. No bail was set. Their 21-year-old son was not around when the couple were arrested Thursday, but police did file charges against Jacob Herc, who lived at the family home at 12610 Nicole Lane.

Ricky Herc was charged with 75 counts of obtaining drugs from a physician by withholding information and one count of trafficking in illegal drugs.

Terry Ann Herc was charged with 10 counts of obtaining drugs from a physician by withholding information and one count of trafficking.

The two were arrested at a doctor's office on West Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard on Thursday morning, records show.

Temple Terrace police Deputy Chief Patricia Powers said that a confidential informant told a narcotics officer March 1 of a "family who collectively doctor-shopped and sold pills."

An undercover officer began investigating the case, Powers said, "and discovered that all three were seeing multiple doctors."

Each was obtaining prescriptions of oxycodone and Xanax, Powers said.

Over eight months, Jacob Herc obtained 4,910 oxycodone pills and 2,010 Xanax, Powers said, and over the past 11 months, Terry Herc was prescribed 4,620 oxycodone pills. Ricky Herc, over the past 18 months, received 9,242 oxycodone and 3,252 Xanax pills, Powers said.

The prescriptions were written by at least eight doctors, whose records were subpoenaed to build the case, she said.

No charges against any of the doctors are anticipated, she said.

"There is no indication they knew what was going on," Powers said.

Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760.

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