SUSSEX COUNTY — A Hamburg man was arrested for posing as a doctor to get prescription drugs – while he was in police custody for picking up a fraudulent prescription, police in Vernon and Franklin said today.

While at Vernon police headquarters, Aaron Hines, 22, made about a half-dozen calls to pharmacies in Franklin seeking to get the prescription drug, Alazopram, which is used to treat anxiety and panic attacks, police said.

“After officers observed excessive use of the phone by Hines (such as disguising his voice) when using the phone, they discovered that Hines was making phone calls to obtain additional fraudulent prescriptions,” Vernon police said in a news release.

Franklin police said Hines made four separate calls to the Franklin WalMart pharmacy, and additional calls to the Franklin ShopRite pharmacy and North Country Pharmacy.

Hines was arrested Tuesday in Vernon after the Vernon A&P pharmacy became suspicious of a prescription for Alazopram allegedly phoned in by a doctor for Hines. The pharmacy contacted Vernon police after certain protocols were not followed by the fictitious doctor, Vernon police said.

Hines was taken into custody after police set up surveillance at the Route 515 supermarket and Hines signed for the medication, Vernon police said.

Hines is being held in the Sussex County jail on $20,000 bail with no 10 percent option. He was charged with forgery and unlicensed practice of medicine.

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