Four men accused of trying to illegally obtain codeine

Four men from the Decatur, Georgia, area are accused of coming to Cape Girardeau with fake prescriptions in an attempt to procure codeine.

Codeine, an ingredient found often in prescription cough syrup, is the main ingredient in lean or syrup. The intoxicant is prevalent in Southern rap culture.

The CVS drug store in Cape Girardeau first reported a fake prescription for 360 milliliters of promethazine codeine from a physician in Sikeston, Missouri, about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to a probable-cause statement from a Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force officer. Staff at the pharmacy checked the doctor's office in Sikeston and found there were no records of such a prescription written. Video surveillance showed a man in a black jacket and plaid scarf presenting the prescription, then departing in a maroon-and-tan Ford SUV officers traced to Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market in Cape Girardeau.

The Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market pharmacy received a prescription for 360 milliliters of codeine, with the customer dropping off the prescription and leaving, according to the report. The prescription was written for a resident of Sikeston by the Ferguson Medical Center, and Wal-Mart staff said the man who dropped off the prescription was wearing a pinstripe black coat, a plaid scarf and had tattoos on his face, the report said. Wal-Mart staff checked the prescription and learned it was fake.

At 2 p.m., a different man showed up to claim the prescription -- Jamaine M. Davis, 32, of Decatur, Georgia, who was detained by Cape Girardeau police. During an interview after Davis was read his Miranda rights, he said he agreed to travel with friend Jahquan X. Crawford, 23, who lives in the same apartment complex in Decatur, Georgia, to Missouri on what he knew was a drug run, according to the report. Davis said Crawford gave him a cellphone containing the names he was to present at the pharmacy, a discount medical card and money to buy the codeine. Davis said they were staying at the Budget Inn, and the others were driving a maroon Ford Explorer.

Officers watched the motel and eventually saw the maroon Ford SUV and three occupants step out, including the man identified from surveillance videos wearing a pinstripe jacket and plaid scarf, the report stated. The three men -- Crawford, Larenzo A. Fuller, 23, of Decatur, Georgia, and Markeith Deon Trotty, 22, of Lithonia, Georgia -- were handcuffed in the motel room, where officers found the jacket and scarf worn by Trotty to pass fraudulent prescriptions, a BigRX discount prescription card, pieces of paper with names, dates of births, pharmacy names and addresses and two receipts from a CVS pharmacy and Sterling HC Pharmacy in Sikeston, according to the report.

Drug task force officers interviewed each suspect. Trotty laid out the responsibilities for each person, with Crawford and Fuller in charge of filling out the prescriptions, the report said. Fuller said he drove everyone to Missouri, then took Trotty to each pharmacy in Sikeston and Cape Girardeau. Crawford said he didn't know anything about fraudulent prescriptions and he was on a business trip and to see Fuller's family. When asked to name Fuller's family members, he could not name any.

Davis, Trotty, Fuller and Crawford were issued warrants Wednesday, and they were charged with two felony counts of fraudulently attempting to obtain promethazine codeine. Each of their bonds was set at $15,000, with the condition they do not leave the state of Missouri.

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address:

2161 William St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

2021 Independence St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

1448 N. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

808 Hunter St., Sikeston, Mo.

120 Main St., Sikeston, Mo.