BRENTWOOD — One of two people charged with exchanging false prescriptions for hundreds of painkillers was ordered to spend two months in the county jail yesterday.
Darlene Donovan, 49, of Boxford, Mass., pleaded guilty to six counts of uttering a forged prescription yesterday in Rockingham County Superior Court. State prosecutors sought a sentence of six months in jail, probation and a fine, while Donovan's defense counsel wanted a suspended sentence and probation.
Donovan, along with her boyfriend, William Boda, also of Boxford, was arrested in November 2008 after a Salem police investigation revealed that the couple allegedly filled forged prescriptions for Percocet on at least six occasions earlier that year. The prescriptions were for 60 to 90 pills each, according to county prosecutor Amy Connolly.
The investigation began when an employee at Walmart in Salem was concerned with the number of pills Donovan was receiving and called the prescribing doctor, who said he didn't write the prescriptions.
When they arrested the couple, police also found 13 other forged prescriptions in Donovan's name inside their car, Connolly said.
Judge John Lewis decided to impose a two-month jail sentence, probation and a $1,050 fine. The sentence will begin next week to give Donovan time to explain the situation to her employer, Lewis said.
In her defense, Donovan said she was in an abusive relationship with Boda, and handed over all the pills to him.
"I was scared for my life," she said.
Donovan is 49 years old and holds an associate degree, Connolly said.
"She's educated, she knows better," Connolly said.
Donovan has a criminal history with similar offenses in Lawrence and Haverhill ,Connolly said.
During the sentencing, Lewis said Donovan may not have been entirely responsible for the crimes, but she still deserved jail time.
"Maybe she was to some degree a victim in the situation as well, but she also was a violator," Lewis said. "The message needs to go out to her and other people that that is not an excuse."
Donovan also received a 10-month suspended sentence in county jail and a 12-month suspended sentence in state prison.
Boda is scheduled for a plea and sentencing Friday.
