Ex-womens clinic doctor charged with stealing drugs, identities – CG Newspapers

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By Cari DeLamielleure-Scott

Posted July 6, 2016

WEST BLOOMFIELD — Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette has charged a West Bloomfield doctor who was under investigation after police found drugs and post-conception material in his impounded vehicle in September 2015.

Michael Roth, 74, was charged June 23 with possession with intent to deliver the Schedule II narcotic fentanyl, and six counts of identity theft in 48th District Court. He also faces three counts of larceny in a building in 38th District Court in Eastpointe.

Roth has also been charged with violating the Michigan public health code and could have his medical license suspended if convicted of the criminal charges.

“Dr. Roth’s actions jeopardized the safety of Michigan’s health care system,” Schuette said in a released statement. “His attempt to break the law at the expense of his patients’ safety is not only illegal, but goes against the code he took upon becoming a doctor.”

In September, Roth’s car was allegedly impounded following a car accident near 14 Mile and Orchard Lake roads during which a pedestrian, a Farmington Hills resident, was struck.

The pedestrian was taken to a hospital to recover from injuries, and the car was impounded and inventoried while the crash was under investigation.

During the inventory process, police found evidence of six prescriptions for ciprofloxacin, a common antibiotic used during abortion procedures. Vials of fentanyl, a drug commonly used as a sedative, and post-conception material were also discovered, according to a press release.

Roth allegedly worked at Eastland Women’s Clinic in Eastpointe. The clinic’s primary focus is terminating pregnancies, according to a press release. The prescriptions for ciprofloxacin were allegedly written by another doctor at the clinic.

A representative from the clinic would not comment on the matter.

A separate medical assistant employed at the clinic allegedly admitted to stealing medical equipment and medications used in abortions from the clinic for Roth, the press release states.

During the investigation, searches of Roth’s home and office were completed. Additional vials of fentanyl were allegedly found in his home, and the fentanyl that was found in the car and in the house matched the drugs allegedly stolen from the women’s clinic.

The search warrant uncovered several bundles of cash, each with partial patient names and what is believed to be pregnancy information — including weeks of gestation — according to the police report. Medical materials such as syringes and empty containers similar to the ones filled with post-conception material allegedly found in Roth’s car were also found.

“This was a long and very thorough investigation,” West Bloomfield Deputy Police Chief Curt Lawson said. “Our detectives worked side by side with the Attorney General’s Office, and we’re happy to see a conclusion in sight for this case.”

Defense attorney Mark Kriger did not respond to a request for comment by press time.

Roth was arraigned in 48th District Court in front of Magistrate Howard Linden. He was given a $10,000 personal recognizance bond and is scheduled to appear for his pre-exam conference in front of Judge Marc Barron July 7. He was arraigned in 38th District Court in front of Judge Carl Gerds III and was assigned a $10,000 personal recognizance bond. He is slated to appear back in that court July 12 for a pre-exam conference.