PEARL RIVER COUNTY — Several suspects were arrested during a multi-agency operation to net people who had fraudulently acquired prescription medication from a doctor who no longer had a license.

Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Orleans Field Division Public Information Officer Terry Davis said the doctor involved in the case, Je Song, has been prosecuted and sentenced to 11 years in a federal prison in New York, after he was convicted of issuing prescriptions without a license.

Picayune  Assistant to the Picayune Chief of Police Jeremy Magri said the investigation began in 2011 when DEA and Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics agents alerted the department to prescriptions being filled from Dr. Song after he had lost his medical license in 2010. Wednesday morning officers with the police department and Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department along with agents with DEA and MBN served warrants on the suspects who filled the prescriptions.

Magri said the investigation showed Dr. Song had sold the prescriptions to people at public locations, at times for $50 a piece. State agencies keep a record of which doctors write prescriptions, leading to a red flag when medications were being prescribed by Dr. Song after he lost his license, Magri said.

So far the Picayune Police Department has arrested six suspects. Two other suspects wanted by the police department were already in custody with other agencies. One suspect, 31-year-old Sandra Severin of 2421 E. Canal St., Lot 46, was picked up by the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department. The Picayune Police Department has placed a hold on her for two counts of fraudulent acquisition of a controlled substance.

Another is in custody with the Mississippi Department of Corrections, 22-year-old David Rouse of 62 Rouse Rd., who will have a hold placed on him for two counts, Magri said.

Suspects arrested by the police department for a number of counts of the same charge include, 46-year-old Colbert Stockstill of 211 Cottonwood St., for two counts; 60-year-old Roger Slaven of 504 Cedar Rd., for three counts; 50-year-old Tina Joles of 316 Moody St., for eight counts; 47-year-old Regina Damron of 23 Archie Wheat Rd., Poplarville for two counts; 36-year-old Heaven Alsobrooks of 137 Moody St., for two counts and 27-year-old Victoria Joles of 316 Moody St., for two counts.

The department is seeking a number of suspects on the same charge, some for multiple counts, Magri said. Those suspects include 50-year-old Jeffery Effler of 1221 Manning St., for one count; 57-year-old James Wallace of 21260 Lawrence Rd., Kiln, for two counts; 57-year-old Jody McDaniel of 316 Moody St., for three counts; 32-year-old Jamie Howard of 134 Browning Circle for two counts; 32-year-old Jeremiah Easley of 10 Lucile St., for four counts; 23-year-old Sara Hartfield, who has an unknown address, for three counts; 53-year-old Joleen Davis of 114 Martin St., for eight counts; 54-year-old Linda Sikes of 420 Dumas Bailey Rd., for four counts; 37-year-old Jonathan Robnett of 178 B. Ruston Rd., Carriere, for two counts; 54-year-old Pamela Mosley of 416 Goodyear Blvd., for one count; 27-year-old Christopher Johnson of 17216 Gardenia St., Kiln, for one count; 25-year-old Blake Forsythe of 17201 Gardenia St., Kiln, for one count and 39-year-old Jody McDaniel of 316 Moody St., for 10 counts.

Davis said all of the charges will be prosecuted on the state level.

Acting Special Agent in Charge Joseph Shepherd said in a statement that “Prescription drugs are the new crack cocaine. The DEA New Orleans Division will continue to collaborate with state and local counterparts, including the Picayune Police Department, to combat this nationwide epidemic.”

Picayune Police Chief Bryan Dawsey said he appreciates the assistance of the local, state and federal agencies in making the arrests.

“The war on drugs is a never ending battle. The police department is determined to stop harmful drugs from destroying lives and families of our citizens. We will continue to fight the war on drugs and will not rest until our city is free of menacing drug dealers and their damaging drugs,” Dawsey said in a statement.

The Sheriff’s Department arrested five people for one or more charges of fraud and acquisition of a controlled substance. According to a release from the department, which did not include the exact number of charges against each suspect, those suspects include Sandra Severin, who has a hold put on her by the Picayune Police Department; 29-year-old Antoine Cooper of 1007 Merrydale Dr., 27-year-old Ronald Willis of 46 Tresch Rd., 42-year-old Melissa Baker of 57 Rouse Rd. and 31-year-old Steven Bang of 20449 Saucier Lizana Rd., Saucier.

The Sheriff’s Department also has charges against Tina Joles, who was picked up by the police department, for the same charge.

Eight suspects are being sought by the sheriff’s department for one or more charges of fraud and acquisition. Those suspects are 24-year-old Jonathan Alderman, who has an unknown address; 36-year-old Daniel Beech of 21 Carey Kirkland Rd., Poplarville; 35-year-old Kiersten Fisher of 410 E. Eighth St.; 23-year-old Brandi Juliao of 102 Rabbit Rd., Bolton; 28-year-old Johnathon Cuevas of 25101 Clark Rd., Saucier; 35-year-old Cynthia Reece of 304 Baltic Ave.; 23-year-old Aaron Spiers who has an unknown address and 31-year-old Alison Stockstill of 3199 Jackson Landing Rd., the release states.

“We anticipate more people will be charged as the investigation continues. We would like to thank the DEA, MBN and Picayune for being able to assist in this investigation,” Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department Chief Investigator Donnie Saucier said.