HUDSON, N.H. — A Pelham, New Hampshire, woman is facing felony charges after she allegedly used forged veterinary records and fraudulent prescriptions to obtain alprazolam, a Schedule 4 controlled substance often sold under the brand name Xanax.
The Hudson Police Department said the investigation that led to the arrest of 48-year-old Nicole Boucher began on Jan. 19 when officers received a report of a suspected fraud involving falsified veterinary documentation.
A local veterinary hospital told police that the Hudson Animal Hospital had contacted them seeking medical records for a dog named “Dash,” owned by Boucher.
According to police, the hospital reported that Boucher had personally delivered paperwork that is typically transferred directly between veterinary practices. Staff became suspicious due to formatting inconsistencies and the unusually short length of the document.
A review of appointment logs and electronic records allegedly confirmed that neither Boucher nor her dog had been seen on the date listed, and the veterinarian named on the form was no longer employed there.
Police said the forged records were used in an attempt to obtain a prescription for alprazolam.
Further investigation revealed that three days earlier, on Jan. 16, Boucher had successfully obtained 90 tablets of alprazolam from a Hudson pharmacy using what police believe was a forged prescription from another local animal hospital.
On Jan. 18, she allegedly returned to the same pharmacy and attempted to obtain additional medication using another fraudulent prescription.
Pharmacy staff flagged discrepancies in the documents, including inconsistent patient information and the short time span between attempts to obtain the medication.
The animal hospital listed on the prescription later confirmed that the prescribing veterinarian and patient details were fabricated.
On Thursday, the Hudson Police executed arrest warrants at Boucher’s home, taking her into custody without incident.
During processing, police said they learned she was already out on bail for a prior offense on July 11. As a result, a bail commissioner revoked her bail, ordering her held pending her arraignment on Friday in the 9th Circuit Nashua District Court.
She was arraigned on three counts of using a forged prescription, and one count of possession of a controlled drug, both Class B felonies, as well as two counts of breach of bail, a Class A misdemeanor.
According to court documents, she pleaded not guilty to the two breach-of-bail charges and entered no plea on the remaining four counts.
Following her arraignment, Boucher was released on her own recognizance. As part of her release, she was ordered to refrain from drug or alcohol use, and to continue to comply with her current mental health and substance use treatment and produce proof of compliance no later than Tuesday.
She is scheduled to return to court for a review hearing at 8:15 a.m. Wednesday and a probable cause hearing at 10 a.m. March 19.
Follow Aaron Curtis on X @aselahcurtis, or on Bluesky @aaronscurtis.bsky.social.
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