Previously, only physicians who went far over the line and ran "pill mills" got targeted for prosecution. Times have changed. One recent case shows a prosecution for a prescription of opioids to a single patient over a couple of years who was an addict. That patient died and local police declined to file charges so federal charges were brought on the prescribing.
On September 18, 2018, former California physician Christopher Owens was sentenced to 41 months in prison for
unlawfully prescribing oxycodone hydrochloride without a medical purpose. The sentence
was handed down by the Judge Alsup, U.S. District Judge in San Francisco, California.
The former Dr. Owens
pleaded guilty on March 20, 2018. In sentencing Dr. Owens, Judge Alsup stated, “[Owens] was not running a pill mill, . . . but he was doing something just as bad . . .. He used that prescription pad to feed a habit.”
Dr. Owens acknowledged he prescribed the drugs without a legitimate medical need and outside of the course of medical practice. According to his open plea application filed with the court, Dr. Owens of Indianapolis, Indiana was a medical doctor when he prescribed oxycodone hydrochloride, a Schedule II controlled substance, to an individual. His guilty plea came after an Indictment. On July 11, 2017, a federal grand jury indicted Dr. Owens charging him with distributing oxycodone without a medical need, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C).
Dr. Owens acknowledged he prescribed the drugs without a legitimate medical need and outside of the course of medical practice. According to his open plea application filed with the court, Dr. Owens of Indianapolis, Indiana was a medical doctor when he prescribed oxycodone hydrochloride, a Schedule II controlled substance, to an individual. His guilty plea came after an Indictment. On July 11, 2017, a federal grand jury indicted Dr. Owens charging him with distributing oxycodone without a medical need, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C).
In
addition to the prison term, Judge Alsup ordered Owens to serve three years of
supervised release to begin after his prison term is completed and a $7,500
fine. Judge Alsup ordered Owens to surrender and begin serving his
sentence on December 3, 2018. As a consequence of the issues in this case, Dr. Owens lost his license to practice medicine.
