Concord Surgical Assistant Charged With Trafficking Opioids

Two Rowan County women have been arrested on drug trafficking charges in connection with a scheme that dates back to 2010.

On August 23rd, authorities arrested 42-year-old Renee Hale Stowe and 48-year-old Denise Kay Furgeson, both of Rockwell, and charged them with drug trafficking and other charges related to obtaining opioids by fraud.

Detectives say Stowe was a surgical assistant at a Concord plastic surgeon’s office where she stole prescription pads and forged prescriptions in her employers name.

She placed prescriptions in her own name, Ferguson’s name,  and the names of family members.

The family members did not appear to know about the scheme.

After a month long investigation, detectives concluded that Stowe and Furgeson  passed prescriptions for opioids in Rowan and Cabarrus county since at least 2010.

The Doctor’s office employing Stowe terminated her employment  upon learning of the investigation.

Stowe and Furgeson were charged with conspiring to traffic between 14 and 28 grams of opium, trafficking between 14 and 28 grams of opium, and obtaining Percocet, Lortab, and Norco by fraud or forgery.

Stowe’s bond was set at $100,000 and Furgeson’s bond was set at $250,000.

In a separate incident, Authorities executed a search warrant at Denise Furgeson’s residence and discovered a methamphetamine laboratory.  Furgeson was not charged, but Sheriffs arrested two other occupants.  That case is still pending in Rowan County Superior Court.