×

Man gets jail time for drug scheme

From staff reports

A Canal Winchester man who tried to fill a fake prescription in Marietta was sentenced to jail time Thursday.

Nebiu Daniel Tefera, 23, of 6427 Kelsey Court, was sentenced to 30 days in jail and two years of community control in Washington County Common Pleas Court.

He was awarded one day credit for time served prior to sentencing.

He was also ordered to forfeit $1,300 and two cell phones seized upon his arrest.

Tefera had previously pleaded guilty to possession of drugs, a fourth-degree felony on Feb. 1, for his June 1, 2017, arrest with co-defendant Abele Fissha.

Fissha was previously sentenced to 60 days in jail in October to run consecutively to another case.

Tefera’s other charges of illegal processing of drug documents, a fifth-degree felony, and trafficking in drugs, a fourth-degree felony, were dropped by the prosecution in exchange for the plea.

According to the Washington County Prosecutor’s Office, the pair came to Marietta in June in an attempt to fill a 30-day prescription of promethazine-codeine at three different pharmacies.

Prosecutor Kevin Rings said at the time of their indictment that the prescription was for an elderly lady which raised red flags with the pharmacists. When they called the supposed physician’s number after normal doctor hours, a person answered with suspicious noises in the background.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $4.15/week.

Subscribe Today