Four plead innocent to drug or forgery charges
Four people allegedly involved in a prescription drug operation connected to counterfeiting pleaded innocent Thursday in Flathead District Court to a variety of charges.
Darrell Burghduff, 45, of Evergreen faces a felony charge of criminal possession of dangerous drugs.
His wife, Virginia Burghduff, 46, of Evergreen is charged with fraudulently obtaining dangerous drugs, criminal possession of dangerous drugs and forgery common scheme. All are felonies.
Virginia Burghduff’s son Lyle Blackburn, 23, also of Evergreen, has been charged with forgery, a felony common scheme.
The fourth defendant, Benjamin Kile, 20, of Columbia Falls, also pleaded not guilty to charges of forgery, a felony common scheme.
After his arrest along with the Burghduffs on Dec. 15, Blackburn admitted to authorities that he forged $20 and $100 bills. Information he gave law officers led them to Kile.
The Burghduffs allegedly were involved in a long-running illegal prescription drug operation at their Evergreen home.
Acting on a tip from a confidential informant, Northwest Drug Task Force members searched the home at 629 Cynthia Drive early Dec. 15, awakening the sleeping Burghduffs and later arresting them and Blackburn.
Authorities found 110 syringes, spoons with white residue and 807 pills in the master bedroom, including tablets of hydrocodone and modafinil, which are controlled substances.
According to court documents, Virginia Burghduff told authorities she obtained the drugs between September and December this year with an altered prescription, admitting that she forged prescriptions using her home computer and used aliases as names on the prescriptions for Roxicodone and other medications.
Also arrested in the case was Jeremy Walbridge, 30, of Kalispell, who is believed to be involved with Blackburn and Kile in counterfeiting $20, $50 and $100 bills and circulating them in the Kalispell area.
Kile and Walbridge were arrested Dec. 15 after authorities found counterfeit bills, a printer and other items used in counterfeiting in Kile’s vehicle.
Walbridge has yet to charged and is in custody at the Flathead County Detention Center after he allegedly robbed Evergreen Pharmacy at knifepoint Dec. 17.
The Northwest Drug Task Force has been receiving information about the Burghduffs for about a year as part of a large-scale investigation into illicit prescription drug use.
Prescription drug abuse refers to the non-medical use of medications, use of prescription medication by people other than those the drugs are intended for, or the illicit use of prescription drugs purchased on the street.
Prescription drug use is on the rise in Montana and is beginning to rival street drugs in popularity.
The Burghduffs, Blackburn and Kile are set for separate trials in April. For now, all four are set to be released on formal house arrest.
Criminal possession of dangerous drugs carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and/or a $50,000 fine.
Fraudulently obtaining dangerous drugs carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and/or a $50,000 fine. Forgery carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and/or a $50,000 fine.
Reporter Melissa Weaver may be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at mweaver@dailyinterlake.com