One of four people charged in a prescription fraud ring entered a guilty plea to 28 criminal counts in Carbon County court on Thursday.

Charles F. Daniel, 27, of Effort, pleaded to the charges before President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II, admitting his part in a ring in which a nurse for a Palmerton doctor would forge prescriptions for the drug oxycodone. The prescriptions then would be filled at various pharmacies in a three-county area. The other two counties involved in the criminal acts were Monroe and Northampton.Others charged in connection with the ring are Angela McClain, 42, of Palmerton, a nurse for Dr. Edward Manzella, who has an office in Palmerton. She is charged with writing fraudulent prescriptions. She is facing a total of 55 criminal counts. Also charged were Lee Daniel, 24, whose address at the time of his arrest was South Daytona, Florida, and Jessica Campbell, 25, of Matamoras, Pike County. They are facing 28 criminals counts each. Lee Daniel is the brother of Charles Daniel.The four were charged by agents of the state Attorney General's office.Charles Daniel pleaded to 25 counts of acquiring or obtaining a controlled substance by misrepresentation, and one count each of possession of a controlled substance, corrupt organization and criminal conspiracy. Of the 28 counts, 26 are felonies.Authorities charged that McLain gave the forged prescriptions to her boyfriend, identified in court papers as Eddie Szczesny. The prescriptions in some cases were made out to Charles Daniel, Lee Daniel and Jessica Campbell. They were paid between $100 and $200 to fill the prescriptions at the various pharmacies.It was estimated that 5,640 tablets of oxycodone were obtained illegally.The agents showed Manzella the names of Szczesny, Charles Daniel, Lee Daniel and Campbell, who had prescriptions made out to them. Manzella said the four were not his patients.The prescriptions were filled at area pharmacies including First National Pharmacy in Lehighton, Rite Aid and CVS stores in Brodheadsville, and Kmart Pharmacy in Walnutport.McLain, Lee Daniel and Campbell are scheduled to appear for pretrial conferences on June 17 at the DA's office in the courthouse in Jim Thorpe.Nanovic accepted Charles Daniel's plea but deferred sentencing ordering the adult probation office to prepare a presentence investigation report.