SUSPENDED TROOPER ARRAIGNED IN PAINKILLER SCHEME Jan. 27, 2009 A state trooper was arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court today following the return of a 19-count indictment charging him with allegedly obtaining prescription painkillers under false pretenses in violation of the state’s “doctor shopping” statute, District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said. A Suffolk County grand jury on Jan. 7 indicted EDWARD McCORMACK (D.O.B. 12/1/69) of West Roxbury for one count of uttering a false prescription and 18 counts of violating Chapter 94C, Section 33(b), of the Massachusetts General Laws, which states that “no person shall … acquire possession of a controlled substance by means of forgery, fraud, deception, or subterfuge, including … the nondisclosure of a material fact to obtain controlled substances from a practitioner.” McCormack pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors did not request bail, and Clerk Magistrate Robin Vaughan released him on his own recognizance with orders to return to court on March 11 for a pre-trial conference. “It’s a sad case and it demonstrates the power of addiction,” Conley said. “At the same time, though, these actions are criminal: we’re looking at a very large number of very powerful painkillers that could impair anyone’s judgment, and they were obtained through deception. The State Police recognized this, investigated it, and very appropriately referred it to us for prosecution.” Each offense carries a maximum penalty of up to four years in state prison, two and a half years in a house of correction, or $20,000 in fines. McCormack is not charged with distributing the medications. Today’s proceedings follow a year-long investigation by Massachusetts State Police, who referred his case to the district attorney’s office for prosecution. He has been suspended without pay by the State Police since April. Evidence suggests that McCormack has for the past several years been fraudulently obtaining powerful painkillers from doctors. Investigators believe McCormack would seek prescriptions from multiple doctors without informing them that he had recently obtained similar prescriptions from other physicians. McCormack is represented by attorney Thomas Drechsler. Return to the Press Releases page.