ROCKINGHAM — All charges against former Richmond County Human Resources Director Lori Tadlock have been dismissed after the individual who initially reported misconduct by Tadlock declined to testify.

Tadlock, 50, was charged in March with two felony counts each of obtaining prescription by misrepresentation, trafficking opium and insurance fraud and two misdemeanor counts of possession of a Schedule II controlled substance.

She was placed on leave pending the results of the investigation and retired on April 30.

Tadlock was scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 12, but did not appear due to the dismissal, court records show. In its dismissal, dated Aug. 23, the prosecution stated that, “After reviewing the entire case file, the state determined that it could not prosecute this case without the testimony of the individual who provided the information to the sheriff’s office.”

The individual requested to remain anonymous, and their name was not shared with the district attorney’s office. The sheriff’s office contacted the person and they said they would not testify, according to the dismissal.

“There is no evidence that the defendant (Tadlock) was selling or misusing any of the prescription pills she was receiving or that she was simultaneously receiving hydrocodone prescriptions from multiple doctors,” the dismissal continues. “The sole basis for any criminal wrongdoing is the allegation that the defendant falsely told her doctor she discontinued the alprazolam prescription she was receiving from another doctor in order to continue receiving a prescription for hydrocodone.”

District Attorney Reece Saunders declined to comment on why his office did not subpoena the individual, which would have forced them to testify.

Tadlock was hired by Richmond County in September of 2005 as the payroll technician, and in January of 2007 was promoted to human resources assistant and then director in April 2008. Her ending salary was $91,531, according to County Manager Bryan Land.

Land said the county does not intend to bring Tadlock back as human resources director.

“All parties have moved on and I am sure Ms. Tadlock is enjoying retirement,” he said in an email Tuesday.

Warrants for her arrest alleged that Tadlock had filled prescriptions on Jan. 7 and Feb. 5 for 90 dosage units of hydrocodone, an opioid and Schedule II controlled substance, each from the same Richmond County pharmacy and without telling the her provider that she was continuing to fill prescriptions for zolpidem and alprazolam (alprazolam is a benzodiazepine, while zolpidem is a lesser form).

The health care provider who prescribed her the drug told investigators that they would not have prescribed the hydrocodone to Tadlock on those two occasions had they been aware of the other prescriptions she was filling at the time. Alprazolam is commonly known as Xanax, which treats anxiety, and Zolpidem is commonly known as Ambien, which treats insomnia.

She was placed under a $75,000 unsecured bond after her arrest and did not go to jail nor take a mugshot. Tadlock’s trafficking charges were a Class C felony they involved more than 28 grams of an opioid, according to N.C. General Statute 90-95(h)(4). This charge carries a minimum prison sentence of 225 months and a maximum term of 282 months, as well as a $500,000 fine, if convicted.

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State cites lack of evidence, witness testimony

Gavin Stone

Editor

Reach Gavin Stone at 910-817-2674 or [email protected].