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Clinton woman faces felony charges in methadone scheme

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By Steven Martens | Tuesday, March 4, 2008 12:59 AM CST | () comments

CLINTON, Iowa — A Clinton woman has been charged with six felony counts for allegedly scheming to fraudulently obtain prescriptions for methadone.

Lisa A. Fullerton, 39, was arrested last week after an investigation by the Clinton Police Department, according to court records.

A search of her medical history showed that Fullerton had been treated by several doctors between 2004 and 2007 for chronic pain, usually back pain, according to court records.

In November 2005, Fullerton allegedly called Dr. Steven Hanas in DeWitt and told him she had dropped more than

100 methadone tablets in the toilet, but Hanas refused to replace them, according to court records.

In April 2006, Fullerton allegedly told Hanas that she had left her bottle of methadone pills in California after visiting family there. Hanas prescribed her 180 tablets, but Fullerton later admitted to investigators she had not been to California, according to court records.

Investigators also believe Fullerton went to see Dr. Luis Barrios in Clinton in September 2007 while she still was under the care of Hanas, and that she saw Barrios nine times in three months, obtaining prescriptions for pain killers such as hydrocodone and fentanyl while she was still getting methadone prescriptions from Hanas. Neither doctor knew Fullerton was seeing another doctor, according to court records.

Fullerton was charged with six counts of prohibited acts, a Class C felony punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison. She was being held Monday in the Clinton County Jail on $50,000 bond. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for March 10.

Steven Martens can be contacted at (563) 659-2595 or smartens@qctimes.com.