Crime & Safety

Woodstock Woman Busted in Cherokee Prescription Drug Forgery Ring

One Woodstock resident was among 13 people arrested in the alleged ring agents had been investigating for five months.

Thirteen Cherokee County residents, including one from Woodstock and a Canton nurse practitioner, have been arrested and charged in connection to an alleged prescription drug forgery ring that's been under investigation for five months.

The Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad, or C-MANS, announced the arrests on Friday afternoon, which were made possible after an investigation that spanned across north Georgia and resulted in charging the suspects with a total of 74 felonies.

Arrested were: 

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  • Kimberly Morgan, 45, of Woodstock: 3 counts of forgery in the first degree. Remains in custody at Cherokee County Adult Detention Center with $7,200 bond. 
  • Kathryn Shoemaker, 66 years old of Canton: 15 counts of forgery in the 1st degree. Remains in custody with a $36,000 bond. Shoemaker is a nurse practitioner and C-MANS agents believe she had access to documents and information they assert was needed to carry out the crimes.  
  • Christopher Mason, 50 years old of Canton: 15 counts of forgery in the 1st degree. Remains in custody with a $36,000 bond. 
  • Joel Hufstetler, 47 years old of Canton: 2 counts of possession of dangerous drugs, drugs to be kept in original container, possession of methamphetamine, loitering and prowling and 1 count of forgery. Remains in custody with a $16,320 bond.
  • Ramona Setser, 43 years old of Holly Springs: possession of heroin, possession of methamphetamine, possession of schedule II drug, possession of a schedule III drug, possession of a schedule IV drug, violation of probation and 3 counts of forgery in the first degree. She remains in custody with no bond. 
  • Jerry Pressley, 31 years old of Ball Ground: possession of oxycodone, possession of alprozolam, sale of methamphetamine, violation of probation and 1 count of forgery in the first degree. He remains in custody with no bond. 
  • Courtney Chapman, 26 years old of Canton: 5 counts of forgery in the first degree. Remains in custody with $12,000 bond.
  • Rachel Bramlett, 43 years old of Canton: possession of methamphetamine and 1 count of forgery in the first degree. Released on Feb. 26 on a $13,600 bond.
  • Terry Phyfe, 60 years old of Canton: 3 counts of forgery in the first degree. Remains in custody with a $7,200 bond. 
  • Regina Lawson, 44 years old of Canton: 1 count of forgery in the first degree. Released on Feb. 26 on a $2,400 bond. 
  • Christopher Dante Mason, 25 years old of Canton: 11 counts of forgery in the first degree. Remains in custody with a $26,400 bond. 
  • Christopher Prince, 35 years old of Canton: 5 counts of forgery in the first degree and violation of probation. He remains in custody with no bond. 
  • Ronald Rigdon, 61 years old of Canton: 1 count of forgery in the first degree. Released on Feb. 28 on a $2,400 bond. 

Shoemaker also being investigated by the Georgia Secretary of State's office and has had her nursing license revoked, C-MANS said on Friday.

Agents were tipped off when prescriptions passed through Cherokee, which were later determined to be fraudulent and C-MANS, expect over 200 charges could be presented to a Cherokee County grand jury. 

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C-MANS agents believe 8,000 pills reached the streets in Cherokee County and more arrests should be expected as the investigation continues. 

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