BCSO IGRANT Charges Two People in Prescription Fraud Forgery Ring Investigation
By Marge | Published 2025-09-10T19:26:30.802+00:00
News
Buncombe County -- September 10, 2025: Buncombe County Sheriff's Office: Following a months-long investigation into a prescription fraud forgery ring, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office Illegal Gun Reduction and Narcotics Task Force (IGRANT) has charged two additional people.
Charges in this investigation were first brought forth in January, when Antonne Dewillard SMITH Jr. was arrested concerning prescription medication fraud and receiving controlled prescription substances.Last month, as the investigation continued, Tara Evette ELLIS-PAYTON was taken into custody in Asheville by the Asheville Police Department.Ellis-Payton was charged by IGRANT with:-(3) Counts of Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud/Forgery-(6) Counts of Trafficking a Controlled Substance (O