Update: Two More Arrests Made in Lexington Prescription Drug Ring

Update, Nov. 24: The Lexington County Sheriff's Department continues to make arrests in an alleged illegal prescription drug ring (see original story below). Two more individuals have been charged, and two more suspects remain at large, the department reports.

Lexington County Sheriff James Metts said Genie Louise Buckner, 28, of 132 Buck Corley Road, Lexington, has been arrested on a charge of possessing a fraudulent prescription. Buckner has been released from the Lexington County Detention Center after posting a $5,000 bond.

Ashley Elizabeth Kastanes, 28, of 124 Roundtree Drive, Gaston, has been arrested on two counts of distributing Oxycodone, Metts said. Kastanes has also been released from the county detention center after posting a $5,000 bond.

Meantime, authorities say they continue to search for two more individuals allegedly involved in the scheme.

Donnie Troy Buff, 39, of 324 Venice Court, Gaston, remains wanted on an arrest warrant on a charge of trafficking in Oxycodone, said Metts. Buff is 6 feet 5 inches and weighs 280 pounds.

Kenneth Kirkland Ford, 54, of 1905 English Avenue, Columbia, remains wanted on an arrest warrant on a charge of distributing Oxycodone, Metts said.

Metts asked anyone with information concerning the whereabouts of Buff or Ford to call the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department at (803) 785-8230 or CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.

Update, 2 p.m., Nov. 21: Lexington County Sheriff Department officials say Chris Joseph Eadon, 32, of 148 Cross Road, Lexington, turned himself in to officials on Monday and was charged with trafficking in Oxycodone.

Eadon was being held on Monday at the Lexington County Detention Center on a $25,000 bond.

Deputies say Eadon was previously arrested on arrest warrants on two counts of distributing Oxycodone and one count of conspiring to distribute Oxycodone.

Three more suspects are wanted in connection to the case.

Genie Louise Buckner, 28, of 132 Buck Corley Road, Lexington, is wanted on a charge of possessing a fraudulent prescription. Genie Buckner is the sister of Sarah Buckner. Genie Buckner is 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs 160 pounds.

Donnie Troy Buff, 39, of 324 Venice Court, Gaston, is wanted on an arrest warrant on a charge of trafficking in Oxycodone. Buff is 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 280 pounds.

Kenneth Kirkland Ford, 54, of 1905 English Avenue, Columbia, is wanted on an arrest warrant on a charge of distributing Oxycodone

Anyone with information about forged prescriptions for prescription painkillers, the illegal distribution of prescription painkillers or the whereabouts of Buckner, Buff and Ford are asked to contact the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department at (803) 785-8230 or CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.

Update, 3:14 p.m. Nov. 17: Two more suspects have been arrested in connection to a prescription drug ring in Lexington County.

Melissa Ann Davis, 30, of 4903 Burke Avenue, Columbia, was arrested on Thursday and is charged with distributing Oxycodone.

Davis was being held on Friday at the Lexington County Detention Center on a $2,500 bond.

Ronald Wayne Strickland, 54, of 134 Buck Corley Road, Lexington, was arrested about 4:30 a.m. Friday and is charged with two counts of conspiring to distribute Oyxcodone.

Strickland was being held on Friday at the county Detention Center while awaiting a bond hearing.

On Thursday investigators said they busted up a prescription drug ring, arresting six people and were looking for six more people alleged to have forged prescriptions for such drugs as Oxycodone and Oxymorphone, then illegally obtaining and distributing the drugs.

The following four suspects are still wanted:

Genie Louise Buckner, 28, of 132 Buck Corley Road, Lexington, is wanted on a charge of possessing a fraudulent prescription. Genie Buckner is the sister of Sarah Buckner. Genie Buckner is 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs 160 pounds.

Donnie Troy Buff, 39, of 324 Venice Court, Gaston, is wanted on an arrest warrant on a charge of trafficking in Oxycodone. Buff is 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 280 pounds.

Kenneth Kirkland Ford, 54, of 1905 English Avenue, Columbia, is wanted on an arrest warrant on a charge of distributing Oxycodone.

Ashley Elizabeth Kastanes, 28, of 124 Roundtree Drive, Gaston, is wanted on two counts of distributing Oxycodone. Kastanes is 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs 180 pounds.

Anyone with information about forged prescriptions for prescription painkillers, the illegal distribution of prescription painkillers or the whereabouts of Buckner, Buff, Ford and Kastanes, are asked to contact the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department at (803) 785-8230 or CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.

Original story: Investigators said on Thursday they have busted up a prescription drug ring, arresting six people with warrants for six more people alleged to have forged prescriptions for such drugs as Oxycodone and Oxymorphone, then illegally obtaining and distributing the drugs.

Lexingtong County Sheriff James Metts said since August, members of the alleged drug ring forged prescriptions and illegally obtained the drugs at multiple pharmacies in Lexington and Richland counties. The names of multiple physicians and medical practices were forged on prescriptions for prescription painkillers without the knowledge of the physicians, he said.

Investigators with the Lexington County Multi-Agency Narcotics Enforcement Team and the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control arrested Sarah Ann Buckner, 33, of 148 Cross Road, Lexington, on one count of distributing Oxycodone and two counts of second-offense conspiracy to traffic in Oxycodone, Metts said. Buckner was being held on Thursday, Nov. 17 at the Lexington County Detention Center on bail totaling $65,000.

"Buckner was the mastermind of the prescription drug ring," Metts said. Investigators will charge Buckner with two additional counts of second-offense conspiracy to traffic in Oxycodone, he added.

Investigators arrested Chris Joseph Eadon, 32, of 148 Cross Road, Lexington, on two counts of distributing Oxycodone and one count of conspiring to distribute Oxycodone, Metts said.

Eadon was released from the county Detention Center after posting a $20,000  bail. He is now wanted again on an additional charge of trafficking in Oxycodone, Metts said. Eadon is 6 feet tall and weighs 195 pounds.

Investigators arrested Stephanie Dionne Jeffers, 39, of 152 Buck Corley Road, Lexington, on a charge of trafficking in Oxycodone, Metts said. Jeffers was released from the county Detention Center after posting a $2,500 bond.

Investigators also arrested Tonya Melissa Elkins, 36, of 1161 Kenneth Drive, Lexington, on a charge of trafficking in Oxycodone, Metts said. Elkins was released from the county Detention Center after posting a $2,500 bond.

Michael Arthur Pelfrey, 29, of 3055 Fish Hatchery Road, West Columbia, on a charge of conspiring to distribute Oxymorphone, Metts said. Pelfrey was being held on Thursday at the county Detention Center while awaiting a bond hearing.

Courtney Margarett Ware, 23, of 436 Church Street, West Columbia, on a charge of distributing Oxycodone, Metts said. Ware was being held on Thursday at the county Detention Center while awaiting a bond hearing.

Six more suspects are wanted

Metts said the following six people remain wanted:

Genie Louise Buckner, 28, of 132 Buck Corley Road, Lexington, is wanted on a charge of possessing a fraudulent prescription. Genie Buckner is the sister of Sarah Buckner. Genie Buckner is 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs 160 pounds.

Donnie Troy Buff, 39, of 324 Venice Court, Gaston, is wanted on an arrest warrant on a charge of trafficking in Oxycodone. Buff is 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 280 pounds.

Melissa Ann Davis, 30, of 4903 Burke Avenue, Columbia, is wanted on an arrest warrant on a charge of distributing Oxycodone. Davis is 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds. 

Kenneth Kirkland Ford, 54, of 1905 English Avenue, Columbia, is wanted on an arrest warrant on a charge of distributing Oxycodone.

Ashley Elizabeth Kastanes, 28, of 124 Roundtree Drive, Gaston, is wanted on two counts of distributing Oxycodone. Kastanes is 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs 180 pounds.

Ronald Wayne Strickland, 54, of 134 Buck Corley Road, Lexington, is wanted on two counts of conspiring to distribute Oxycodone. Strickland is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 200 pounds.

Metts also said the investigation of the drug ring based is ongoing.

He asked that anyone with information about forged prescriptions for prescription painkillers, the illegal distribution of prescription painkillers or the whereabouts of Genie Buckner, Buff, Davis, Eadon, Ford, Kastanes, and Strickland to contact the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department at (803) 785-8230 or CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.