Tateum Richardson

A Minot man has been charged with three felony counts and three misdemeanors for allegedly using forged prescriptions to acquire controlled substances at pharmacies in Minot and Bismarck.

Tateum Sterling Richardson, 25, Minot, made his initial appearance in North Central District Court in Minot on Tuesday before Judge Gary Lee. Richardson was charged following an investigation by the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation and was arrested on three counts of acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation or fraud, a Class C felony; and two counts of possession of a controlled substance-schedule II opiate, and possession of a schedule V depressant, all Class A misdemeanors.

According to court documents, BCI special agents were notified of potential forged prescriptions being used at two Minot pharmacies and another in Bismarck in February. Investigators identified Richardson and Stephanie Rae Rogers, 27, (no address listed) as the suspects in the case through identification provided to the pharmacies when picking up the prescriptions. The forged prescriptions listed the issuer as a pediatric doctor with the 5th Medical Group at Minot Air Force Base and showed “void” watermarks when copied and scanned as evidence. Investigators spoke with the named provider on the prescriptions, who confirmed the hand issued prescriptions were fraudulent and forged.

Investigators reviewed security footage from the pharmacies, identifying Richardson and the potentially forged documents provided to law enforcement being used on the dates in question. According to the affidavit, Richardson was able to purchase oxycodone tablets and promethazine with codeine syrup.

Arrest warrants for Richardson and Rogers were issued April 12 and Richardson was arrested on April 15. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Thursday, May 23.

Rogers has been charged with two counts of acquiring controlled substances by misrepresentation and a count each for possession of schedule V depressant and schedule II opiate. According to court records, the case against Rogers is listed as inactive and she has not yet been arrested.