Farmington, Missouri, Pharmacist Pleads Guilty to Three Medicaid Fraud Charges

St. Louis, MO – PATRICIA A. HOEHN, Farmington, Missouri, pled guilty today to three felony counts involving false statements to the Missouri Medicaid program.

Specifically, in her plea agreement, Hoehn, a licensed pharmacist, admitted that she used three prescriptions that falsely stated and represented to Medicaid that a licensed medical doctor had prescribed a cough syrup that contained hydrocodone, a narcotic opioid pain medication, to three children.  In reality, the prescriptions were false because no licensed medical doctor had actually prescribed the drugs to these three children on these three dates, and Hoehn knew that the children were not actually receiving these drugs.  Further, in the plea agreement, Hoehn admitted that she destroyed her cellular telephone by striking it and placing it in a toilet to prevent law enforcement officers from recovering the telephone and searching it for text messages regarding these false prescriptions.

Hoehn entered her plea before United States District Judge Carol E. Jackson in St. Louis.  Sentencing has been set for July 13, 2015.

These charges carry penalties of up to five years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000. The Court can also order restitution to be paid to the Missouri Medicaid program.  In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.

This case was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Mineral Area Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Office of Inspector General for the United States Department of Health & Human Services, with assistance from the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster and St. Francois County, Missouri, Prosecutor Jerrod Mahurin.