Police: Woman Posed as St. Bernards Worker to Collect Prescription Drugs

JONESBORO, Ark. — A woman faces a felony and three misdemeanor charges after Jonesboro police said she falsely claimed to work for St. Bernards while collecting residents’ old prescription medications through a purported drug take-back program.

Kori Partovi is charged with possession of a Schedule I or II controlled substance, a Class C felony; possession of a Schedule IV or V controlled substance, theft of $1,000 or less and second-degree criminal impersonation, all Class A misdemeanors.

Officers were dispatched at approximately 8:46 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 2, to the area of Paula and Covey drives after receiving a report of a suspicious person in the residential neighborhood.

Police were told a woman was approaching residences, asking for old medications and claiming she worked for St. Bernards through a drug take-back program, according to a probable cause affidavit.

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Officers located Partovi carrying a purple bag. Police said she changed her explanation during the encounter, first claiming she worked with a Facebook group conducting a drug take-back program.

Partovi later said there were no instructions for the program but that she had seen doctors and attorneys conducting something similar in Memphis. She told officers she wanted to help because a relative had died from an overdose.

Police reviewed home surveillance video that allegedly recorded Partovi representing herself as a St. Bernards worker. One resident worked for the hospital and recognized that Partovi’s request was not standard procedure for a drug take-back program.

Partovi consented to a search of the purple bag, according to police. Officers reported finding prescription medications belonging to another person who had surrendered the drugs after Partovi allegedly claimed to represent St. Bernards.

Police reported finding 16 hydrocodone and acetaminophen pills, a Schedule II controlled substance, and 17 zolpidem pills, commonly sold under the brand name Ambien, a Schedule IV controlled substance.

Other pills inside the bag were not scheduled controlled substances. Officers also found several white adhesive bags allegedly intended for packaging.

District Judge Tommy Fowler found probable cause Monday and set Partovi’s bond at $35,000 cash or surety. A no-contact order was imposed.

Partovi’s next court appearance is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Aug. 21 at the Craighead County Courthouse in Jonesboro.

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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