Forged medication prescriptions lead police to arrest suspect in Millcreek

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Officers have arrested a man accused of a conspiracy forging scheme to obtain prescription medications.

Ian Samuel Curtis, 20, was arrested Thursday evening on four counts of conspiracy forgery, charging documents show.

Officers with the South Jordan Police Department began investigating a series of forged prescriptions that were allegedly being faxed to pharmacies across the Salt Lake Valley. Several pharmacies received four identical prescriptions.

The prescriptions detailed the same two substances: 10 capsules of Benzonatate — a non-narcotic cough medicine, and a common cough syrup. Police say neither are controlled substances, but both can be abused.

Four different doctors’ names appeared on the prescriptions. Each confirmed the prescriptions to be fraudulent. The prescriptions even displayed incorrect information but did not have actual signatures.

After faxing the prescriptions, police said Curtis would arrive and collect the medications. Pharmacies in Kearns, Salt Lake City, Midvale, and South Jordan all fell victim to the scheme.

According to court documents, facial recognition from security footage was used to identify Curtis. Police tracked his next pick-up to a Harmons in Millcreek where officers waited for him to arrive before taking him into custody.

Officers said Curtis told them he receives the prescriptions from someone he met online. He also told police that he uses the substances for personal use because they don’t show up on his drug tests.

Curtis was booked on multiple felony charges and ordered to be held without bail.