Tampa Bay Criminal Defense Lawyer - professional addicts?

By Nicholas Dorsten, Esq.

While we have often written about prescription pill abuse before, this article from the tampabay.com website shows that even professionals can fall into the prescription drug abuse trap...

PINELLAS — Pinellas deputies accused two doctors of writing each other hundreds of prescriptions for thousands of pills Monday in a case of prescription fraud.

A Dentist and a podiatrist were arrested Monday after a four-month investigation titled "Operation Doctor Doctor," according to deputies.

Over three years, the dentist, 39, received 91 prescriptions for 840 hydrocodone pills, 660 lorazepam pills and 1,960 oxycodone pills, deputies said.

In that same period, the podiatrist, 49, received 120 prescriptions for 480 hydrocodone pills, 1,230 lorazepam pills and 2,620 oxycodone pills, according to deputies.

"It looks like they were for personal use," said a Sheriff's Office spokeswoman.

Deputies said the two doctors wrote prescriptions for 30 to 40 pills a week, got them filled sporadically at different pharmacies and paid cash.

Both doctors face 15 counts of employing a scheme to assist another person to obtain a controlled substance.

Deputies said they learned about the fraudulent prescription writing after receiving a tip in January about suspicious activity involving two physicians.

Have you been arrested on drug possession or doctor shopping charges? Then the Pinellas, Florida based Blake & Dorsten, P.A. Pinellas criminal defense lawyers are at your service.

For more information, or to speak directly with experienced Pinellas County criminal defense attorneys, please contact the law firm of BLAKE AND DORSTEN, P.A. at 727.286.6141or email the defense lawyers at: info@blakedorstenlaw.com