Michigan doctor convicted of illegally prescribing 200,000 opioid pills
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A Southeast Michigan doctor has been convicted of federal charges relating to the unlawful distribution of more than 200,000 prescription opioid pills.
Dr. Charise Valentine, 69, of Southfield, was found guilty April 25 by a jury of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute prescription opioids, including Oxycodone and Oxymorphone, and 10 counts of illegal distribution of Oxycodone and Oxymorphone, according to a press release from Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck of the Eastern District of Michigan.
Valentine faced those charges for her role in prescribing medication during the time she was one of two primary doctors at the Orthopedic Medical Building in Oak Park.
The district attorney's office said that from November 2016 to July 2018, Valentine issued more than 3,000 prescriptions for more than 200,000 pills to individuals "who did not have a legitimate medical need for the drugs."
The clinic operated out of a warehouse, accepted only cash, and charged patients $200 to $500 per prescription, should they receive the medication, the report said.
The cost depended on the quantity, type and dosage of the medication, which was usually Oxycodone 30mg or Oxymorphone 40mg. The report said both of those specific medications are among the most addictive prescription opioids and also are among "the most highly diverted prescription opioids due to their high street value."
For her efforts, Valentine was about half of the clinic's proceeds, but only if she wrote an opioid prescription to a patient, not based on any supposed "medical care." She received an envelope of thousands in cash each day she worked.
The other defendants charged in the case previously pleaded guilty to related charges, the report said.
"Addressing the sources of the opioid epidemic – which include addictive opioid prescription pills as well as street drugs – remains a top priority of this office," Beck said.
The Eastern District of Michigan is one of the twelve districts included in the Opioid Fraud Abuse and Detection Unit, a Department of Justice initiative that uses data to target and prosecute individuals who are contributing to the nation's opioid crisis.
Those assisting on this case included special agents and task force officers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General.
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Boston Globe
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