California doctor, son in custody for selling prescription pills

On Behalf of | Dec 16, 2013 | Drug Charges, Firm News

A Drug Enforcement Administration affidavit alleges that a California doctor and son sold prescription pills and marijuana to drug dealers. The doctor is accused of abusing his medical license to prescribe the drugs, great amounts of which were reportedly discovered in his home, to local and out-of-state patients.

The affidavit was filed after the DEA, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Postal Inspections Service, Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General, California Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse, and California Medical Board carried out a lengthy investigation. The DEA says the doctor mostly prescribed narcotic painkillers such as morphine, methadone, oxycodone and hydrocodone. Between August 2012 and August 2013, 98 percent of the 5,500 prescriptions that he wrote for controlled substances were Schedule II or III drugs.

On Nov. 13, federal agents carried out warrants at the doctor’s medical practice and followed up with a search of his home, which he shares with his son. The agents reportedly discovered various prescription pills, almost 40 pounds of marijuana, multiple handguns and rifles, and thousands of dollars in cash. The doctor and son are facing federal possession of less than 50 kilograms of marijuana with the intention to distribute, possession of oxycodone with the intention to distribute, maintaining a drug-involved premises and using a firearm for drug trafficking.

Before he was taken into custody, the California Medical Board suspended the doctor’s license for 30 days and gave him five years of probation. It’s unknown if the board will open another investigation or implement tougher punishment against him following application of the federal charges.

No matter the federal criminal charge against an individual, the government is required to uphold the individual’s rights throughout the justice process. A lawyer may analyze the events leading up to and during the detainment of the individual in an attempt to uncover instances when the individual’s rights were violated. If successful, this could reduce the charges or penalties that the individual faces.

Source: ABC, “Feds: Colusa doctor, son sold pills to drug dealers”, Michael Bott, December 04, 2013

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