News Release Document

              April, 10th, 2019 

 

On April 4th, 2019 The Houma Police Department Narcotics Division was contacted by a local physician concerning possible forged prescriptions. It was determined that during the month of March 2019 a patient had obtained a legitimate prescription from this physician during the early part of March of 2019 for non-narcotic medication, and had altered the information on the prescription and had obtained ten separate prescriptions for either the narcotic pain medication Hydrocodone or Oxycodone and had them filled at several pharmacies within the city of Houma and Terrebonne Parish. The suspect was identified as Nicole Karpinski, 31 years of age of Patterson, La.

It was learned through investigation that Karpinski’s boyfriend identified as John Menser, 39 years of age also of Patterson, La. Had forged prescriptions filled fraudulently by using a forged prescription from the same local physician who he had never been a patient of. It was further learned that the pair had also filled forged prescriptions from additional physicians. With the information gathered from the local pharmacies it was revealed that on four occasions Karpinski had used Medicaid to pay for four of the forged prescriptions.

Narcotics agents then secured arrest warrants for Nicole Karpinski and John Menser relative to obtaining a Controlled Dangerous Substance by Fraud, Forgery, and Medicaid Fraud.

On Tuesday April 9th, 2019 with the assistance of The St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division John Menser was located in Patterson, La. and placed under arrest for the outstanding warrants for five counts of obtaining a controlled dangerous substance by fraud and five counts of forgery and transported to the St. Mary Parish Jail, Menser was later transported to the Terrebonne Parish Criminal Justice Complex where he currently jailed on those charges, he is being held on a $200,000 bond.

On April 10th, 2019 Karpinski turned herself in to the Houma Police Department where she was taken into custody for thirteen counts of obtaining a controlled dangerous substance by fraud, thirteen counts of forgery, and four counts of Medicaid fraud. She was arrested and transported to the Terrebonne Parish Criminal Justice Complex where she is being held on a $220,000 bond on those charges. During an interview after being arrested Karpinski was cooperative and was booked with five additional counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and forgery and is awaiting bond on those charges as well as being booked on outstanding warrants through the 32nd JDC as well as Houma City Court for issuing worthless checks.

 

Lt. Jeffery Lirette #188

Narcotics Commander

Houma Police Department

500 Honduras Street

Houma, La. 70360

(985) 873-6371