Woman Convicted of Selling her Prescription Pills

Prosecutors in DA Charme Allen’s Felony Drug Unit obtained a conviction against a woman for selling her prescription pills. Mary Lynn Cansler, 45, was convicted of Possession with Intent to Sell and Deliver Oxycodone. After the jury returned their verdict, Judge Steve Sword set the case for sentencing on November 3.

At trial, Assistant District Attorney Ken Irvine explained to the jury that on June 11, 2015, Knox County Sheriff’s Office Deputy James Troutt initiated a traffic stop after a vehicle made an illegal U-turn, nearly causing an accident. Ofc. Troutt arrested the driver of the vehicle for an outstanding warrant. Cansler was a passenger in the vehicle. Ofc. Troutt found a single pill in a plastic bag in the car and asked Cansler if she had any more contraband. She responded that she had hidden a pill bottle inside her body cavity. A consensual search of her cell phone revealed text messages showing that Cansler was selling the pills that she had been prescribed.

“During Prescription Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week, it is important to remember that the majority of opiates that are illegally traded on our streets came from a lawful prescription,” said DA Charme Allen.”When Tennessee is second in the nation for the number of opiate prescriptions written and that number of prescriptions outnumbers the number of citizens in this State, we need to re-examine how we deal with chronic pain.”

Possession with Intent to Sell and Deliver Oxycodone is a Class C felony that carries a punishment between three and six years.

If you have any questions, please contact Sean McDermott at 865-215-2515 or Sean.McDermott@knoxcounty.org. For more information about the District Attorney’s Office, visit our website at dag.knoxcountytn.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.