From Office of the United State Attorney, Northern District of West Virginia

 

Andrea Nicole Shepard, 24, of Fairmont, West Virginia, was sentenced today for her role in distributing prescription painkillers through the office of Dr. Edita Milan, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced Wednesday.

 

While employed in Dr. Milan’s Bridgeport, West Virginia office, Shepard used the text messaging functionality on her mobile phone to arrange the unlawful sale of prescription painkillers. She pled guilty in June 2014 to one count of “Aiding and Abetting the use of a Communication Facility to Distribute Buprenorphine” after an investigation by the Greater Harrison County Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative.

 

The Task Force, which has members of the Bridgeport Police Department on it and is chaired by Chief John Walker, began its investigation with citizen complaints surrounding prescription writing practices of Dr. Edita Milan’s practice. Milan is scheduled for trial on Jan. 5, 2014.

 

Shepard was sentenced today to four months and twenty days in prison to be followed by one month and ten days of home detention. Shepard was given credit for time served and released.

 

Assistant U.S. Attorney John Parr prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

 

U.S. District Irene M. Keeley presided.