Friday, October 10, 2008

A police investigation that began after a DUI stop in August has led to the arrest of a Key West man now facing 150 felony charges in connection with a computer prescription fraud case.

Richard Chip Dougherty, 37, who lives in the Las Salinas condominiums at 3930 S. Roosevelt Blvd., was charged with 58 counts of forgery, 31 counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, 31 counts of criminal use of personal identification information and 29 counts of trafficking in controlled substances.

Dougherty is a computer engineer who used a laptop and software programs to manufacture fake prescriptions for drugs such as Percocet, Roxicodone and Xanax among others, reports say. He also is accused of forging a doctor's name, as well as the numbers for the medical license, Drug Enforcement Agency reports say.

When Key West police initially arrested him on Aug. 7, officers charged him with DUI and two counts of possession of forged prescriptions, based on what they found in his vehicle, reports say.

At that time, Dougherty allegedly admitted to officers that in February, he was "creating, printing, signing and purchasing" prescriptions using a doctor's name.

"Dougherty would then sign these prescriptions and go to local pharmacies and purchase these prescriptions he created," reports say.

Detectives continued to investigate him and raided his home on June 16, when they allegedly found the bulk of the alleged prescription fraud evidence.

"Further investigation revealed that Dougherty would also write these prescriptions for other individuals and receive part of the controlled substance as payment for creating and forging the prescriptions," reports say.

A warrant was issued for his arrest on Sept. 16. Police did not locate Dougherty until his arrest Wednesday, said spokeswoman Alyson Crean.

He remained in the Monroe County jail Thursday on $104,500 bond.

alinhardt@keysnews.com