Cordell Spencer Williams

WARSAW — A 57-year-old Chicago man is in custody on two charges of attempting to acquire controlled substances by fraud, and a forgery charge, all level 6 felonies.

Cordell S. Williams, 57, 5535 S. Justeen St., Chicago, was booked Wednesday afternoon in the Kosciusko County Jail. Court documents show he formerly resided at 4400 Homerlee Ave., East Chicago.

According to court on June 18 Warsaw Police Officer Philip Hawks responded to a prescription fraud report at Walgreens Pharmacy, Warsaw. Police were told a man came into the pharmacy to fill a prescription, which was questionable as there were two medications, a legend drug and a controlled substance, on the same prescription. After the man was told a call would need to be made to verify the prescription, he took the prescription and left.

A Walgreens pharmacy employee then made contact with CVS Pharmacy to warn it only to find out he had already been to that location.

Police spoke with pharmacy officials at CVS who reported a man did come there to fill a prescription from Grove Medical Center under the name of Cordell Williams. The employee stated the prescription was for a controlled substance and a legend drug and further stated there were five items wrong with the prescription, which indicated it was fraudulent. Williams was told the pharmacy would not fill the prescription and the employee refused to give the prescription back to Williams.

Police obtained the prescription, which was allegedly signed by a Christopher Doran from Grove Medical Center. Police also learned from the pharmacy employee Williams attempted to pass the same prescription at the CVS in Columbia City and Columbia City Police had Williams in custody.

Warsaw Police Officer Brad Kellar went to the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department where Williams was incarcerated, but Williams refused to speak to the officer. A surveillance video shows Williams was the same individual who attempted to obtain a controlled substance through a fraudulent prescription at CVS and Walgreens.

Charges were filed against Williams on Oct. 13.

He is being held on $5,000 surety and $250 cash bond.