DUBOIS – An Altoona man who is accused of having forged prescriptions filled waived his right to a preliminary hearing Friday.
William S. Blanset, 48, was working as a nurse in the DuBois area when the investigation began in September. Agents from the state attorney general’s office began to look at the case after learning that DuBois-area pharmacies may have been filling unauthorized prescriptions for Blanset.
Court documents allege that Blanset picked up prescriptions at a DuBois Pharmacy four times. Each time, the drug prescribed was Lortab, a prescription pain reliever, that was allegedly prescribed by a DuBois doctor.
The following month, the agent spoke with the doctor whose name was on the prescriptions. The doctor said the signatures on the prescriptions were his, but the other writing was not written or authorized by him. The doctor also told investigators that Blanset was not a patient of his.
Blanset reportedly admitted to taking the signed prescriptions and writing information on them. He also said that when the prescriptions were filled, he used the medication only for himself.
Blanset is free on bond while he awaits the disposition of the charges.
He faces one felony count and one misdemeanor count.
