The Tennessee Office of Inspector General has charged another area resident with TennCare fraud. Melissa Faye Cronan, 45, of Old Fort made her first appearance in Bradley County Criminal Court Monday after an OIG investigation revealed she was allegedly “doctor shopping.”

She was charged in June, according to Bradley County Sheriff’s Office records.

The OIG accused Cronan of using TennCare to go to multiple doctors in a short time period to obtain controlled substances.

She was arrested Monday by OIG and Cleveland Police officer Justin Maples, according to Lola Potter, information officer for OIG and Bradley County records.

“She is charged with eight counts of fraudulently using TennCare to obtain controlled substances by ‘doctor shopping.’ Cronan failed to disclose to her doctor that she had seen other physicians within a 30-day period and received prescriptions for the same or similar controlled substances, with the clinical visit being paid for by TennCare,” Potter noted.

TennCare fraud involving doctor shopping is a Class E felony carrying a sentence of up to two years per charge in prison.

10th Judicial District Attorney General Steven Bebb is in charge of prosecuting the case, according to Potter.

Clifford Michael Guthrie, 29, was charged last week regarding alleged TennCare fraud.

He faces three counts of alleged fraud along with three counts of obtaining Lortab (hydrocodone), according to the OIG.

Guthrie was released from the Bradley County Jail after posting a $2,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court Aug. 22.

Suspected TennCare fraud can be reported by calling 1-800-433-3982 in Tennessee or by visiting www.tn.gov/tnoig and follow the prompts that read “Report TennCare Fraud.”