FAYETTE COUNTY, Pa. — Seven people, including a podiatrist, a state corrections guard and a teacher, turned themselves in Monday after being charged last Friday with participating in a prescription drug ring.
According the affidavit, Dr. William Ainsley, 39, of Hopwood, led the alleged prescription drug ring and would use friends and patients to access the powerful painkillers over a two-year period.
Ainsley allegedly wrote nearly 200 prescriptions for hydrocodone in quantities ranging from 40 to 120 tablets, the majority of which his co-conspirators shared with him, according to the Pennsylvania State Attorney General’s Office.
"Of course, we deny all the charges. At this point in time, my client is innocent until proven guilty,” said Jeremy Davis, Ainsley’s attorney.
The six others facing charges are:
- Palmer Sabatine, 42, of Uniontown, who works as a teacher in the Laurel Highlands School District
- Deven Saghy, 46, of Uniontown, who works as state corrections guard at the Greene County Jail
- Carl Santavicca, 62, of Uniontown
- Robert Woleslagle, 57, of Uniontown
- Randell Rice, 27, of Uniontown
- Scott Bloom, 43, of Hibbs
The first red flag came in August when irregularities were discovered in databases that track doctors’ prescriptions for painkillers, the affidavit said.
Channel 11’s Joe Holden learned that the defendants are expected to surrender on Monday.