A Rowan County doctor and his wife turned themselves in Wednesday morning after being indicted in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain the prescription pain killer hydrocodone. Overall, police have charged eight people, most of whom are teachers or teacher assistants.
Police and the State Bureau of Investigation say the scheme centers around Dr. Orrin Walker and his wife Abby Walker, a teacher at Bostian Elementary School in China Grove. Dr. Walker, a general practitioner, is accused of writing about 200 prescriptions of hydrocodone for his wife and six others over a 17 month period. Those prescriptions were reportedly for as many as 25,000 doses of the drug. The Walkers are both accused of trafficking opiates by possession. The others are charged with multiple counts each of conspiracy to commit prescription fraud or forgery.
Orrin Walker has surrendered his medical license, and the Rowan-Salisbury School District says Abby Walker was suspended in March and has since resigned. Two others who work at Bostian Elementary have been suspended without pay.
Police say there’s no indication that children were involved or that any of the pills were sold.
Court records show the Walkers filed for bankruptcy in 2008.
