A licensed osteopathic physician practiced at several medical clinics in the Pikeville, Kentucky area, and a nurse worked alongside the physician at those clinics. According to evidence presented at trial, the two conspired to distribute controlled substances using prescriptions that were not written for a legitimate medical purpose within the usual course of professional practice.
The prescriptions involved significant quantities and dosages of opioid painkillers, including oxycodone, methadone and hydrocodone, sometimes combined with alprazolam or clonazepam. One individual received prescriptions for 720 methadone 10 mg tablets and 180 alprazolam 2 mg tablets in a single month; another received 480 methadone 10 mg and 300 oxycodone 10 mg tablets in one month. The physician also wrote multiple prescriptions for 180 oxycodone 30 mg tablets for the nurse, and the nurse at times issued illegitimate prescriptions by signing the physician's name.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case, and both defendants were convicted at trial of conspiracy to illegally prescribe controlled substances and related offenses.
A federal district judge sentenced the physician to 100 months and the nurse to 60 months in prison. Each must serve 85 percent of the sentence and will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years after release.