Thursday's Internet Edition, September 02, 2010.
Widower sentenced to
home confinement
for call to pharmacy
|
By DAVID HEDGES
Publisher -
A man charged with helping his wife make a phone call to a local pharmacy and pretending to be a doctor’s office will serve his sentence on home confinement.
Douglas W. Marks, 37, and Heather D. Marks, 34, were both indicted by a Roane grand jury last September on charges of attempting to fraudulently obtain goods by false pretenses and conspiracy.
The charges alleged Heather Marks, at the urging of her husband, phoned Fruth Pharmacy in July of last year, when she impersonated a nurse from the Roane General Hospital medical clinic to request a prescription for Xanax. Pharmacy workers became suspicious and alerted police.
Sometime after that indictment was returned, Heather Marks died of what police believe was a drug overdose. Charges against others have been filed in that case.
Doug Marks made the news again a month ago when he said a masked man with a machine gun burst into the apartment he shares with his ex-wife and demanded money. Marks said he grabbed the gun and wrestled with the man until the man fled on foot.
Police are investigating but no charges have been filed.
Marks was sentenced Monday by Roane Circuit Judge David Nibert to 1-to-3 years in prison, which was suspended in favor of home confinement. Nibert also ordered Marks to complete a substance abuse program at the day report center.
Also sentenced Monday were:
ν Brandon Sean Springston, 25, of Spencer to 12 months home confinement for probation violations. Springston was on probation for filing a false worker’s compensation claim when he told his probation officer he had a drug problem and wanted to go to jail. Nibert also ordered Springston to complete a drug treatment program at the day report center.
ν Brittany D. Jeffers, 21, of George Street, Spencer to a year in jail and $100 fined for grand larceny. She was one of three charged with stealing a gun safe after it was cut off the wall with a chain saw.
ν Heather Jo Mullins, 24, was returned to probation after she failed to report to her probation officer or participate in a substance abuse program. She pled guilty to conspiracy for helping her boyfriend pass forged checks on the account of his estranged wife.
Two more persons entered pleas.
Justin Lee Smith, 21, of Belle pled guilty to grand larceny. He is one of three charged with stealing over $3,000 in items from the Amma home of Jeffery Holbert.
Chad Michael Wilcher, 23, of Spring Creek Road, Spencer pled guilty to petit larceny for stealing equipment from a gas well drilling site. Felony charges of grand larceny and conspiracy will be dismissed in the plea agreement.
Both Smith and Wilcher are scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 27.
