Pharmacists Say D.A. Filed Bogus Charges

ORLANDO (CN) - Albany County, N.Y., District Attorney P. David Soares staged a bogus raid on a Florida pharmacy, with an "imbedded reporter" from the Albany Times-Union, to garner publicity for his re-election run, the pharmacists claim in Orange County Court. Signature Pharmacy and its owners say Soares' baseless charges were dismissed after he reaped the publicity from them.

Signature and its owners and operators say all charges were dismissed with prejudice on Sept. 11 this year. They were charged in New York with illegal sale of controlled substances, diversion of prescription medications, and corruption. The New York-Florida joint investigation was called "Operation Which Doctor."

The pharmacists say Soares and his co-defendants spread lies in the media to benefit their own careers - for instance, that a man died after taking steroids he had bought from Signature, though "the steroids found with the man were obviously not from Signature."

Plaintiffs demand damages for civil rights violations. They are represented by Robert Stovash with Stovash, Case & Tingley.

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