Cases Against Doctors
> Criminal Cases
*Criminal
Cases
* This web site is a listing of investigations of physician
registrants in which DEA was involved that resulted in the arrest and
prosecution of the registrant. DEA is in the process of adding to this site
cases against DEA physician registrants since 2003 which have resulted in
arrests and prosecutions.
|
Name: |
MACH, Philip, MD |
City, State: |
New Brunswick, NJ |
Date of Arrest: |
08/31/2005 |
Date of Conviction: |
05/10/2007 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Conspiracy to distribute and dispense, and aiding and abetting the
unlawful distribution and dispensing of, controlled substances |
DEA Registration: |
Retired |
Remarks: |
Phillip Mach, MD, age 49, of New Brunswick, NJ, pled guilty in federal
court to conspiracy to distribute and dispense, and aiding and abetting
the unlawful distribution and dispensing of, controlled substances by
means that were outside of the usual course of professional medical
practice and without a legitimate medical purpose.
According to court documents, Mach was a physician licensed to practice
medicine by the State of New Jersey with offices in New Brunswick. Mach
entered into an agreement with Xpress Pharmacy Direct, located in
Minnesota, to provide prescriptions to online customers.
Mach was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison followed by three
years of supervised release, and assessed a $200.00 criminal monetary
penalty. |
|
Name: |
MANFREDONIA, SERAPHIN J., MD |
City, State: |
North Palm Beach, FL |
Date of Arrest: |
10/20/2006 |
Date of Conviction: |
02/05/2007 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Distributing and dispensing controlled substances |
DEA Registration: |
Retired 04/24/2006 |
Remarks: |
Seraphin J. Manfredonia, MD, age 78, of North Palm Beach, FL, pled
guilty in federal court to four counts of distributing and dispensing
controlled substances. According to court documents, Manfredonia knowingly
and intentionally distributed and dispensed, and caused to be distributed
and dispensed, a mixture and substance containing detectable amounts of
Schedule II - IV controlled substances, including Roxicodone, Methadone,
Percocet, Dilaudid, Lorcet, Xanax, and Valium, outside the course of
professional practice.
Manfredonia was sentenced to probation for a term of three (3) years,
participation in the Home Confinement Program for one year, and ordered to
pay a fine of $12,500 and an assessment of $400. |
|
Name: |
MARTINEZ, Jorge A., MD |
City, State: |
Boardman, OH |
Date of Arrest: |
9/13/2004 |
Date of Conviction: |
06/14/2006 |
Judicial Status: |
Jury Conviction |
Conviction: |
Healthcare fraud resulting in death; Distribution of controlled
substances |
DEA Registration: |
Retired 08/31/2006 |
Remarks: |
Jorge A. Martinez, MD, age 56, of Boardman, OH, was found guilty by a
federal jury on two counts of healthcare fraud resulting in death;
twenty-one additional counts of healthcare fraud; ten counts of wire
fraud; fifteen counts of mail fraud; and eight counts of distribution of
controlled substances. According to court documents, from 1998 to
September 2004, Martinez submitted false bills to insurance plans for
injections and office visits. The jury found that the defendant’s health
care fraud scheme resulted in the deaths of two insurance beneficiaries.
The jury also found the defendant guilty of drug trafficking in OxyContin
(oxycodone), a Schedule II controlled substance.
Martinez was sentenced to life in federal prison and ordered to pay an
assessment of $5,600. Martinez has filed an appeal which is pending. |
|
Name: |
MAYNARD, Paul V., MD |
City, State: |
Charlotte Amalie, VI |
Date of Arrest: |
09/18/2003 |
Date of Conviction: |
02/15/2007 |
Judicial Status: |
Jury Conviction |
Conviction: |
Distributing and Dispensing Schedule II and III Controlled Substances |
DEA Registration: |
Currently Under Investigation |
Remarks: |
Paul Maynard, MD, age 55, of Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, US Virgin
Islands, was arrested on September 18, 2003 after being indicted on
one-hundred-seventy (170) counts of knowingly, intentionally and
unlawfully distributing and dispensing Schedule II and III controlled
substances (Oxycontin, Percodan, and Vicodin ES). According to the
Indictment, Maynard distributed and dispensed controlled substances
without a legitimate medical purpose and beyond the bounds of acceptable
medical practice. The Indictment also gave notice of forfeiture to Maynard
of his medical building, his license to practice medicine, and his DEA
registration number.
On February 15, 2007, a Jury for the U.S. District Court of the Virgin
Islands, convicted Maynard on four of the counts. Maynard was remanded to
prison after the verdict where he currently is awaiting sentencing. A
preliminary Order of Forfeiture has been filed and shall become final at
the time of sentencing. |
|
Name: |
MAZUR, Richard A., MD |
City, State: |
Pass Christian, MS |
Date of Arrest: |
07/07/2004 |
Date of Conviction: |
06/20/2005 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Dispensing a controlled substance for an unlawful purpose |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 07/07/2004 |
Remarks: |
Richard R. Mazur, MD, age 52, of Pass Christian, MS, pled guilty in
U.S. District Court to one count of dispensing a controlled substance for
an unlawful purpose. Mazur was sentenced to 27 months in prison followed
by one year of supervised release and ordered to pay an assessment of
$100. |
|
Name: |
MCIVER, Ronald Allen, DO |
City, State: |
Hodges, SC |
Date of Arrest: |
08-26-2004 |
Date of Conviction: |
09/19/2005 |
Judicial Status: |
Jury Conviction |
Conviction: |
Distribution and dispensing of controlled substances outside the usual
course of medical practice |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 04-12-2004 |
Remarks: |
Ronald A. McIver, DO, age 64, of Hodges, SC, was found guilty in
federal court on nine counts of distribution and dispensing of controlled
substances outside the usual course of medical practice. On three of the
nine counts, McIver was found guilty of distribution of controlled
substances resulting in death or serious bodily injury.
McIver received a sentence of 360 months in prison, to be followed by
five years supervised release, and fined a $900.00 special assessment. |
|
Name: |
McNEIL, Apryl Mamzette, MD |
City, State: |
New York, NY |
Date of Arrest: |
07/28/2005 |
Date of Conviction: |
04/21/2006 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Conspiracy to Distribute Schedule III and IV controlled substances and
Conspiracy to Launder Money |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 05/02/2006 |
Remarks: |
Apryl Mamzette McNeil, MD, age 44, of New York City, NY, pled guilty in
federal court to one count of conspiracy to distribute schedule III and IV
controlled substances and one count of conspiracy to launder money.
According to court records, between November 2003 and May 2004, McNeil
authorized at least 220,090 dosage units of Schedule III controlled
substances and 15, 510 dosage units of Schedule IV controlled substances
via the internet. Said prescriptions were not issued for a legitimate
medical purpose and not in the usual course of a practitioner’s
professional practice.
McNeil was sentenced to 20 months in prison, two years supervised
release, and ordered to forfeit $26,960.00. |
|
Name: |
MERRILL, Thomas, DO |
City, State: |
Apalachicola, FL |
Date of Arrest: |
08/09/2005 |
Date of Conviction: |
07/10/2006 |
Judicial Status: |
Jury Conviction |
Conviction: |
Unlawful dispensing of controlled substances resulting in death; fraud |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 05/07/2004 |
Remarks: |
Thomas G. Merrill, MD, age 72, of Apalachicola, FL, was found guilty by
a federal jury on eighteen counts of wire fraud; five counts of defrauding
health care benefit programs, including two counts that charged that death
resulted from the violation; and 75 counts of dispensing or distributing
controlled substances including oxycodone, morphine, hydrocodone, fentanyl,
alprazolam, and diazepam, including four counts that charged that death
resulted from the use of the drugs.
Between January 2000 and May of 2004, Merrill wrote prescriptions for
controlled substances without conducting any physical examination and
without determining a sufficient medical necessity for the prescription of
controlled substances. Merrill directed patients to have their
prescriptions filled at specific pharmacies and warned them against
filling their prescriptions at pharmacies that would ask too many
questions about the quantity and combination of controlled substances
prescribed.
Merrill was convicted for prescribing controlled substances to abusers
and addicts outside the course of standard medical practice. The trial
jury found that Merrill’s actions resulted in the deaths of five of his
patients. The evidence at trial revealed that Merrill, a licensed
osteopathic physician, prescribed excessive and inappropriate quantities
and combinations of controlled substances to patients and failed to
monitor their use and abuse of the prescribed controlled substances.
Merrill was sentenced to life imprisonment on the charges that his
actions resulted in death. He was also sentenced to concurrent twenty,
ten, and five year terms of imprisonment on the remaining 92 counts. |
|
Name: |
MICKLESON, Dennis L., MD |
City, State: |
Palmer, AK |
Date of Arrest: |
12/01/2006 |
Date of Conviction: |
02/09/2007 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Unlawful possession of a controlled substance |
DEA Registration: |
Retired 09/30/2006 |
Remarks: |
Dennis Lynn Mickleson, MD, age 57, of Palmer, AK, pled guilty in
federal court to one count of unlawful possession of a controlled
substance. According to court documents, Mickleson knowingly and
intentionally possessed a controlled substance which was not obtained
directly or pursuant to a valid prescription or order.
Mickleson was sentenced to probation for a term of three (3) years and
ordered to pay a fine of $5,000 and an assessment of $25. |
|
Name: |
MILLETTE, Michael J., MD |
City, State: |
Crystal Lake, IL |
Date of Arrest: |
07/14/2006 |
Date of Conviction: |
01/11/2007 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances without legitimate
medical purpose; conspiracy to launder money |
DEA Registration: |
Revoked 05/02/2005 |
Remarks: |
Michael J. Millette, MD, age 46, of Crystal Lake, IL, pled guilty to
conspiracy to distribute Schedule III and IV controlled substances and
conspiracy to launder money.
According to court documents, Millette obtained $1.6 million in drug
proceeds from authorizing at least 61,202,400 dosage units of Schedule III
controlled substances and at least 1,446,810 dosage units of Schedule IV
controlled substances via the internet. Said prescriptions were not issued
for a legitimate medical purpose and not in the usual course of a
practitioner’s professional practice.
Millette was sentenced to forty-one (41) months imprisonment followed
by two (2) years supervised release. Millette was also ordered to forfeit
$1.6 million. |
|
Name: |
MOLMENTI, Luis A., MD |
City, State: |
Plymouth, MA |
Date of Arrest: |
2/28/2005 |
Date of Conviction: |
4/21/2005 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Health care fraud |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 7/5/2005 |
Remarks: |
Luis A. Molmenti, MD, age 41, of Plymouth, MA, pled guilty to one count
of health care fraud. According to Molmenti’s plea agreement with the
government, from February, 2003 to August, 2004, Molmenti wrote
prescriptions for OxyContin in the name of other individuals, who filled
the prescriptions and mailed the drugs back to him for his personal use.
Molmenti was sentenced to 24 months probation. He was also ordered to
pay $1,877.15 in restitution to the Maryland Health Insurance Partnership,
perform 100 hours of community service and pay a $100.00 special
assessment fee. |
|
Name: |
MORGAN, Breton Lee, MD |
City, State: |
Point Pleasant, WV |
Date of Arrest: |
09/12/2006 |
Date of Conviction: |
03/12/2007 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Obtaining a Schedule III Controlled Substance by Fraud |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 04/07/2006 |
Remarks: |
Breton Lee Morgan, MD, age 46, of Point Pleasant, WV, pled guilty in
federal court to one count of obtaining a Schedule III controlled
substance by fraud.
According to court documents, Morgan knowingly and intentionally
acquired and obtained possession of a quantity of hydrocodone, a Schedule
III controlled substance, from a pharmaceutical company by
misrepresentation, fraud, deception and subterfuge.
Morgan was sentenced to thirty days in prison followed by three months
supervised home detention and fined $5,000. |
|
Name: |
MOSS, Joe P., MD |
City, State: |
Franklin, TN |
Date of Arrest: |
12/22/2004 |
Date of Conviction: |
04/13/2007 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Health care fraud and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 02/23/2001 |
Remarks: |
Joe P. Moss, MD, age 64, of Franklin, TN was a licensed physician in
Williamson County. According to court documents, on June 16, 2005, Moss
was placed on five years probation by the U.S. District Court in the
Middle District of Tennessee following his pleas of guilty to obtaining
controlled substances by fraud and submitting false and fraudulent
dispensing records to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Both charges
were felonies.
While on probation, Moss was prohibited from possessing firearms or
other dangerous weapons. Because of his felony convictions, Moss’s
medical license was suspended by the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners.
Moss was also excluded from participating in Medicare and Medicaid and
could not bill Medicare or Medicaid for patients he treated, nor could he
cause claims to be submitted for a medical practice he owned, operated, or
administered.
During a home visit to Moss by the U.S. Probation Office, it was
discovered that Moss was in possession of numerous dangerous weapons and
ammunition. It was also later established that Moss saw and treated
patients at his medical offices in Franklin, TN. Moss documented his
treatment of patients in some of the patient charts, sometimes forging the
initials of another physician as the treating physician. Moss also caused
prescriptions to be filled and refilled for patients he had treated. Some
of the patients Moss treated were covered by Medicare and/or Medicaid.
Moss caused claims to be submitted to Medicare and/or Medicaid for
services rendered by a physician’s assistant and nurse practitioner who
treated patients at Moss’s medical practice.
Moss pled guilty in federal court to health care fraud and possession
of ammunition by a convicted felon. He was sentenced to eighteen months
incarceration followed by three years of supervised probation and ordered
to pay $13,796.10 in restitution. |
|
Name: |
MUDD, Kenneth, MD |
City, State: |
Louisville, KY |
Date of Arrest: |
07/20/2004 |
Date of Conviction: |
10/24/2005 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Trafficking in prescription blanks for controlled substances,
prohibited activities |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 07/22/2004 |
Remarks: |
Kenneth Mudd, MD, age 32, of Louisville, KY, pled guilty in state court
to trafficking in prescription blanks for controlled substances and
prohibited activities. Mudd was employed at the University of Louisville’s
department of obstetrics and gynecology.
Mudd was sentenced to three years imprisonment, to serve probated for
five years. |
|
Name: |
MUKHERJEE, Mukunda D., MD |
City, State: |
Flint, MI |
Date of Arrest: |
06/29/2004 |
Date of Conviction: |
02/03/2006 |
Judicial Status: |
Jury Conviction |
Conviction: |
Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance |
DEA Registration: |
Expired 1/31/2006 |
Remarks: |
Mukunda Mukherjee, MD, age 64, of Flint, MI, was convicted on February
3, 2006 by a federal jury on 44 counts of unlawful distribution of
Schedule II and Schedule III controlled substances. According to the court
records, from April, 2001 to June, 2004, Mukherjee wrote numerous
prescriptions without a legitimate medical purpose. The trial judge
described Mukherjee's office as "effectively a prescription mill with
addicts coming from out-of-state to get prescriptions."
Mukherjee was sentenced to a total of 328 years imprisonment and was
ordered to forfeit approximately $170,000 in assets. |
|
Name: |
MYERS, Michael Frank, MD |
City, State: |
Greenville, SC |
Date of Arrest: |
12/28/2006 |
Date of Conviction: |
05/23/2007 |
Judicial Status: |
Jury Conviction |
Conviction: |
Conspiracy to, and distribution of, Schedule I, III, and IV controlled
substances |
DEA Registration: |
Retired 07/03/2007 |
Remarks: |
Michael F. Myers, MD, age 53, of Greenville, SC, was found guilty by a
federal jury on 30 felony counts. These included one count of conspiracy
to knowingly, intentionally, and unlawfully possess with intent to
distribute, and distribution of, marijuana, a Schedule I controlled
substance; one count of maintaining a place for the purpose of
distributing and using marijuana; 25 counts of distributing and dispensing
Schedule III controlled pharmaceuticals; and three counts of distributing
and dispensing a Schedule IV controlled pharmaceutical.
Myers was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison, followed by
supervised release for a term of three years, and ordered to pay an
assessment of $3,000. |
|
Name: |
NYAMEKYE, Absylom Kwabena, MD |
City, State: |
New York, NY |
Date of Arrest: |
07/28/2005 |
Date of Conviction: |
04/21/2006 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Conspiracy to Distribute Schedule III and IV controlled substances and
Conspiracy to Launder Money |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 05/02/2006 |
Remarks: |
Absylom Kwabena Nyamekye, MD, age 39, of New York, New York, pled
guilty in federal court to one count of conspiracy to distribute schedule
III and IV controlled substances and one count of conspiracy to launder
money.
According to court records, between November 2003 and March 2004,
Nyamekye authorized at least 357,330 dosage units of Schedule III
controlled substances and 17,250 dosage units of Schedule IV controlled
substances via the internet. Said prescriptions were not issued for a
legitimate medical purpose and not in the usual course of a practitioner’s
professional practice.
Nyamekye was sentenced to 20 months in prison, two years supervised
release, and ordered to forfeit $36,286.00. |
|
Name: |
OPSAHL, Jon S., MD |
City, State: |
Colton, CA |
Date of Arrest: |
03/17/2006 |
Date of Conviction: |
11/05/2007 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Misbranding drugs |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 03/18/2005 |
Remarks: |
Jon S. Opsahl, MD, age 47, of Colton, CA, pled guilty in federal court
to one count of misbranding drugs.
According to court documents, Opsahl did unlawfully, knowingly, and
intentionally misbrand a drug which involved a quantity of hydrocodone, a
Schedule III controlled substance, in interstate commerce by issuing a
prescription without having complied with the requisites for issuing a
prescription in the State of Texas.
Opsahl was ordered to forfeit $100,000. |
|
Name: |
ORTENZIO, Louis, MD |
City, State: |
Blacksville, WV |
Date of Arrest: |
10/4/2005 |
Date of Conviction: |
3/24/2006 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Health care fraud; Obtaining a controlled substance by fraud |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 10/6/2005 |
Remarks: |
Louis Ortenzio, MD, age 53, of Blacksville, WV, pled guilty to one
count of health care fraud and one count of obtaining a controlled
substance by fraud. He was sentenced to five years probation, the first
six months to be served on home detention. He was also ordered to perform
1,000 hours of community service, and pay restitution in the amount of
$213,680.24 to Medicaid and Medicare.
According to court records, Ortenzio submitted claims for services that
were not rendered, and prepared a prescription in the name of another
individual for hydrocodone, a Schedule III controlled substance, to obtain
the drugs for his own use. |
|
Name: |
OWENS, Guy, MD |
City, State: |
New Britain, CT |
Date of Arrest: |
05/01/2003 |
Date of Conviction: |
04/18/2005 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Illegal prescription / distribution of a narcotic; sexual assault |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 04/02/2003 |
Remarks: |
Guy Owens, MD, age 79, of New Britain, CT, pled guilty in the State of
Connecticut Superior Court to two counts of illegal prescription /
distribution of a narcotic and one count of sexual assault. Owens was
investigated following receipt of a complaint from a patient that he was
illegally prescribing narcotic controlled substances and had allegedly
sexually assaulted her. She claimed she had been receiving prescriptions
for controlled substances from Owens for several years and had become
addicted to them. In recent visits, Owens had demanded sexual contact or
he would not continue to write her prescriptions. Over a three-month
period, the patient had not paid Owens but instead had unwillingly
participated in sexual acts with him in return for the prescriptions.
Owens received a three year suspended prison sentence and three years
probation. |
|
Name: |
PARSA, Bruce N., DO |
City, State: |
Kansas City, KS |
Date of Arrest: |
05/02/2003 |
Date of Conviction: |
10/20/2003 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Conspiracy to distribute or dispense Schedule II controlled substances;
use of an invalid registration |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 11-02-2001 |
Remarks: |
Bruce N. Parsa, DO, age 40, of Kansas City, KS, pled guilty in United
States District Court to one count of conspiracy to distribute or dispense
Schedule II controlled substances and four counts of knowingly and
intentionally using a registration number that was revoked, suspended and
expired. According to court documents, Parsa unlawfully, knowingly and
intentionally combined, conspired, confederated and agreed together and
with others to distribute and dispense Dexedrine, Adderall, Dextrostat,
OxyContin and oxycodone outside the scope of professional practice and not
for a legitimate medical purpose.
Parsa was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by three years
supervised released and ordered to pay an assessment of $500. |
|
Name: |
PERRY-THORNTON, Elena, MD |
City, State: |
Detroit, MI |
Date of Arrest: |
09/28/2005 |
Date of Conviction: |
10/19/2006 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Unlawful distribution of a controlled substance |
DEA Registration: |
Retired 01/19/2007 |
Remarks: |
Elena Perry-Thornton, MD, age 56, of Detroit, MI, pled guilty in
federal court to one count of unlawful distribution of a controlled
substance. According to court documents, Perry-Thornton pled guilty to
selling a prescription for 100 tablets of 80mg OxyContin to an undercover
patient without any significant medical examination, allowing the patient
to choose the type of drug, the strength of the drug, and how many days
would elapse before the patient purchased additional prescriptions. At
times, Perry-Thornton operated her office out of her residence and out of
a used car lot.
Perry-Thornton was sentenced to federal prison for a term of 72 months
followed by 24 months of supervised probation and ordered to pay an
assessment of $100.00. |
|
Name: |
PETROVICH, John A., MD |
City, State: |
Granite City, IL |
Date of Arrest: |
07/25/2005 |
Date of Conviction: |
10/24/2005 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Health Care Fraud |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 01/19/2006 |
Remarks: |
John Petrovich, MD, age 47, of Granite City, IL, pled guilty to one
count of health care fraud and was sentenced to five years probation. He
was also ordered to pay a fine of $5,000 to the United States Government,
a separate fine of $5,000 to the Illinois Medicaid Program, and a $100.00
special assessment fee.
According to statement of facts signed by Petrovich, Petrovich wrote
prescriptions for anti-anxiety and pain relief medications for individuals
with whom he did not have a physician-patient relationship, knowing that
the medicines were not medically necessary and that the individuals were
using public aide to pay for the prescriptions. |
|
Name: |
PONT, Jeffrey M., MD |
City, State: |
Scottsdale, AZ |
Date of Arrest: |
08/04/2004 |
Date of Conviction: |
12/15/2004 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Solicitation to Possess Narcotic Drugs |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 04/29/2003 |
Remarks: |
Jeffrey Pont, MD, age 49, of Scottsdale, AZ, pled guilty in state court
to one count of solicitation to possess narcotic drugs. He was sentenced
to two years probation and must also pay a fine in the amount of $2,160
and complete 200 hours of community service. |
|
Name: |
POULSHOCK, Andrew S., DO |
City, State: |
Philadelphia, PA |
Date of Arrest: |
01/10/2005 (formal arrest processing delayed until sentencing date) |
Date of Conviction: |
10/13/2004 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Causing the misbranding of drugs |
DEA Registration: |
Currently under review |
Remarks: |
Andrew Poulshock, DO, age 43, of Philadelphia, PA, was arrested after
being sentenced in federal court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
on one count of causing the misbranding of drugs. Poulshock had previously
pled guilty to this charge on October 13, 2004, but formal arrest
proceedings were delayed until he was sentenced. He was sentenced to 36
months probation and ordered to pay a $30,000 fine.
According to court records, Poulshock delivered thousands of
non-controlled prescription drug samples to a pharmacist who, in turn,
placed the drug samples into inventory and sold them to patients. The
patient’s insurers reimbursed the pharmacist for the drug samples.
Poulshock was paid approximately $50,000 by the pharmacist for the drug
samples. |
|
Name: |
RESSNER, Eric L., MD |
City, State: |
Palm Beach Gardens, FL |
Date of Arrest: |
02/06/2006 |
Date of Conviction: |
08/11/2006 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Conspiracy to commit Health Care Fraud |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 12-26-2006 |
Remarks: |
Eric Ressner, MD, age 52, of Palm Beach Garden, FL, pled guilty in
federal court to one count of Conspiracy to commit Health Care Fraud.
Ressner was sentenced to forty-eight months imprisonment, three years
supervised release, 500 hours of community service, and ordered to forfeit
$100,000.00.
According to court documents, Ressner knowingly allowed a licensed
pharmacist to use his name in submitting false and fraudulent prescription
drug claims for Ketamine HCL and other prescription medication to private
health insurance companies. In exchange for allowing the pharmacist to use
his name, Ressner received a number of items of significant value from the
pharmacist which represented proceeds from payments received from false
and fraudulent prescription drug claims. Ressner used some of the payments
received from the pharmacist as down payment on his residence. |
|
Name: |
RINGEL, Steven, MD |
City, State: |
Harrisonville, KS |
Date of Arrest: |
10/05/2004 |
Date of Conviction: |
02/07/2005 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Conspiracy to distribute and dispense a controlled substance |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 10/07/2004 |
Remarks: |
Steven Ringel, MD, age 30, of Harrisonville, KS, pled guilty in United
States District Court to one count of conspiracy to distribute and
dispense more than 30,000 units of Lortab (hydrocodone), a controlled
substance, outside the scope of professional practice. According to court
documents, Ringel wrote prescriptions for hydrocodone using various
fictitious patient names with the intention of taking possession of the
controlled substances himself.
Ringel was sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by three years
supervised release and ordered to pay an assessment of $100 and a fine of
$1,000. |
|
Name: |
ROSS, James Stanley, MD |
City, State: |
Clarksville, VA |
Date of Arrest: |
01/17/2007 |
Date of Conviction: |
08/28/2007 |
Judicial Status: |
Guilty Plea |
Conviction: |
Distribution of controlled substances |
DEA Registration: |
Retired 01/18/2007 |
Remarks: |
James Stanley Ross, MD, age 54, of Clarksville, VA, pled guilty in
federal court to one count of distribution of OxyContin; one count of
distribution of hydrocodone and codeine; and one count of distribution of
oxycodone. According to court documents, Ross knowingly, intentionally,
and unlawfully distributed and dispensed OxyContin, hydrocodone, codeine,
and oxycodone without a legitimate medical purpose and beyond the bounds
of medical practice. Ross also wrote and delivered a prescription for
sixty (60) dosage units of OxyContin (40mg) in exchange for what he
believed was crack cocaine.
Ross was sentenced to 19 months in federal prison, followed by
supervised release for a term of three (3) years, and ordered to pay an
assessment of $300. |
|
Name: |
ROTTSCHAEFER, Bernard, MD |
City, State: |
Pittsburgh, PA |
Date of Arrest: |
06/03/2003 |
Date of Conviction: |
03/09/2004 |
Judicial Status: |
Jury Conviction |
Conviction: |
Distribution of controlled substances |
DEA Registration: |
Expired 04/30/2006 |
Remarks: |
Bernard Rottschaefer, MD, age 61, of Pittsburgh, PA, was found guilty
by a jury on 153 counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance
in violation of 21 USC 841(a)(1) in United States District Court for the
Western District of Pennsylvania.
At trial, five of Rottschaefer's patients testified that he fed their
drug addictions by prescribing them Xanax, OxyContin, and other addictive
painkillers; four of his patients testified that they performed sexual
favors in exchange for the prescriptions. Rottschaefer was sentenced to 78
months incarceration, 36 months probation, a fine of $12,500, and a
special assessment of $15,000. |
|
Name: |
RYABIK, Brett, MD |
City, State: |
Louisville, KY |
Date of Arrest: |
01/13/2004 |
Date of Conviction: |
02/15/2005 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Obtaining drug by fraud, Trafficking in controlled substances;
Prohibited activities |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 01/12/2004 |
Remarks: |
Brett Ryabik, MD, age 44, of Louisville, KY, pled guilty in state court
to obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, trafficking in controlled
substances and prohibited activities relating to controlled substances. He
was sentenced to one year imprisonment, followed by five years probation.
He was also ordered to pay a fine of $1,000. As a special condition of his
plea agreement, Ryabik agreed to provide a video interview which will be
disseminated to health care and police officers for training purposes.
According to court documents, in July, 2003, Ryabik made false
statements to obtain a prescription of hydrocodone, a controlled
substance. He also obtained other controlled substances in the name of
another individual who was unaware that a prescription was written in her
name. |
|
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