Two years probation is Bartlett's sentence

One of three Alleghany residents' cases awaiting final sentencing in Western District Federal Court has reached its conclusion.

Vickie Parsons Bartlett of Sparta has been sentenced in connection with federal charges placed against her for health care fraud. Bartlett, 47, pleaded guilty on Dec. 6, 2005 and was finally sentenced on June 21 as part of an apparent plea agreement with federal prosecutors.

Bartlett will serve two years probation, must pay a $7,000 fine and also must pay restitution in the amount of $10,252, said Department of Justice spokesperson Suellen Pierce in Charlotte.

The other two cases that are awaiting sentencing involve Donna Faye Adkins Reeves and Ricky James Lyall. The case against Lyall is not related to the other two cases.

Bartlett apparently was charged due to her connection to Reeves, 49, who also entered guilty pleas in federal court as part of an apparent plea agreement with federal prosecutors. Reeves plead guilty to conspiring to possess and distribute oxycontin and methadone on or about June 6, 2003 until Dec. 21, 2004 in Alleghany County. She also pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting and scheming to defraud health care benefit programs (otherwise known as health care fraud) between Aug. 2, 2003 and Dec. 15, 2004. The total amount of $12,886.33 was allegedly taken by fraud. Her plea was entered before a judge on Jan. 17, said Pierce.

The maximum penalty for the conspiracy count is up to 20 years in prison or a $1 million fine or both. The maximum sentence for the fraud count is up to 10 years in prison or a $250,000 fine or both. Both Reeves and Bartlett have been free on bond since July 2005.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office said sentencing is generally taking 120 days or more due to a backlog of cases requiring pre-sentencing reports. In this case, it took more than seven months for the sentence to be handed down by a federal judge.

The two were among six charged in a federal indictment filed on June 27, 2005 by a grand jury in Charlotte with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone and methadone and other offenses.

Also charged were Michael Detroit Malone, 53, of Pulaski, Va.; Crystal Lynn Huffman, 25, of Winfield Huffman Road, Wilkesboro; Donna Shirelle Barber, 28, of E Street, North Wilkesboro; and George Bruce Gwyn, 37, listed as living in Sparta or the Pulaski, Va. area. Information on their individual cases had not been obtained as of presstime on Tuesday.

According to information received earlier from federal prosecutors, Ms. Reeves was a licensed physician's assistant in Sparta during the conspiracy, which count one of the indictment (to which she plead guilty), said occurred from at least June 6, 2003, to Dec. 31, 2004, in Alleghany County.

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