A Jonesboro woman who impersonated a hospital employee to collect prescription drugs door-to-door has been sentenced to five years of deferred probation.
Kori Partovi, 37, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance, a Class C felony, and second-degree criminal impersonation, a Class A misdemeanor. Judge Scott Ellington of the Second Judicial Circuit Court issued the sentence under the Arkansas First Offenders Act, Arkansas Code 16-93-301.
According to court records, Partovi must complete mandatory drug rehabilitation and is subject to a warrantless search waiver. She must also pay court costs and fees in $50 monthly installments. Her felony charge carries 60 months of deferred probation, and her misdemeanor charge includes 12 months of deferred suspended imposition of sentence.
The charges stem from an incident on Sunday, Aug. 2, when Jonesboro police responded to reports of a suspicious person near Paula and Covey Drives. Partovi claimed to be conducting a "Drug Take Back" program on behalf of St. Bernards Medical Center to collect unused medications. One resident, however, identified her claims as false, as they worked for St. Bernards and knew the activity was not part of any official protocol.
According to the police affidavit, Partovi told officers she learned about similar programs through a Facebook group and wanted to help because she had lost a relative to an overdose. She also referenced seeing a similar initiative in Memphis involving doctors and lawyers but admitted she lacked specific instructions.
Officers reviewed doorbell camera footage, in which Partovi can be heard falsely claiming to represent St. Bernards Medical Center. In a purple bag she was carrying, police discovered prescription medications belonging to another individual, including 16 hydrocodone pills and 17 Ambien pills. The affidavit states these were provided by a resident who believed Partovi’s impersonation.
Officers also found adhesive packaging bags in the same bag with the medications.
As part of her sentence, Partovi is prohibited from impersonating others in the future and must complete all conditions of probation to avoid further legal consequences.