State Sen. Ray Mossey of Bellevue was arrested Friday on suspicion of prescription fraud and carrying a concealed weapon.

Mossey, a retired Omaha police officer, was taken into custody at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Someone in the hospital's pharmacy called police when Mossey tried to fill prescriptions for painkillers seemingly from several different doctors. He was released from jail after posting bail.

The 36-year-old Republican was tapped by Gov. Mike Johanns in 2002 to fill a seat left vacant when Jon Bruning was elected Nebraska's attorney general. Mossey currently serves on the Legislature's Judiciary, Agriculture, and General Affairs committees.

Mossey was a police officer from 1992 until he was forced to retire in 2001 because of a back injury suffered when a drunken driver hit his cruiser. Before working for the Omaha Police Department, Mossey served two years as a deputy sheriff for Sarpy County. From 1986 until 1990, he was in the U.S. Air Force as a security police officer.

Omaha Sen. Pat Bourne said Mossey has told him he is in constant, tremendous pain. Bourne is promising to "do whatever I can to help him." Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers called Mossey "mister law and order," adding, "if he had any scruples, any shred of pride left, he would resign."

Mossey is seeking re-election, facing retired Gretna Public Schools superintendent Gail Kopplin in November.