A federal jury in Columbus convicted an Ohio doctor Thursday for illegally prescribing buprenorphine and other controlled substances in violation of the Controlled Substances Act, officials stated.
According to court evidence,
Eskender Getachew, 58, of Galena, unlawfully prescribed opioids and benzodiazepines to his patients.
This included prescribing Subutex, which has a high risk of abuse and diversion, to patients for whom the drug is not indicated.
The number of pills Getachew prescribed depended on how much patients paid at their office visits.
Getachew was aware of several reports that patients were selling their Subutex, but his prescribing continued unabated.
The jury convicted Getachew of 11 counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance. He faces up to 20 years in prison on each count.
A sentencing date has not yet been set.
The DEA, FBI, Homeland Security, Ohio Attorney General’s Office, and Ohio Board of Pharmacy investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Timothy Landry and Samantha Stagias of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.