Drug Diversion in the News

A Muskegon County nurse practitioner with her own family medicine practice has had her license suspended for allegedly overprescribing commonly abused medications, including opioids. Susan Drust of Susan Drust Family Medicine, Norton Shores, has been among the state’s “highest-volume prescribers of commonly abused and diverted controlled substances,” according to the state’s administrative complaint against her. [...]

A 50-year-old Fort Pierce pharmacist is accused of stealing opioids from the pharmacy where he works. P. Barski, of Fort Pierce, was arrested on April 24 on two felony charges of grand theft of a controlled substance and trafficking a controlled substance. St. Lucie County Sheriff's office deputies said they received an anonymous tip about videos that allegedly [...]

There was no sympathy for this drug-dispensing devil. An octogenarian doctor whose illegal opioid prescriptions killed a 27-year-old patient was sentenced Tuesday to 20 years in federal prison for his wanton distribution of the deadly pills — an almost-guaranteed life term for the frail physician. Dr. Martin Tesher, 83, of Manhattan, “is a pill-pushing animal,” [...]

An Owensboro woman charged this week with stealing anesthetics and other drugs from Ohio County Healthcare had her nursing license suspended by the state Board of Nursing two months before she faced the criminal charge. L. D. Means, 43, was charged Wednesday with theft by unlawful taking under $10,000 by the Kentucky State Police, for [...]

It was a shocking indictment involving a former practicing south Huntsville doctor- allegations of drugs, prostitutes, and overdoses. On Monday, Marshall Plotka appeared in federal court. He's one of several Alabama doctors busted in a federal opioid sweep. He walked into the federal courthouse in Huntsville wearing a jail jumpsuit in shackles and pleaded not [...]

When a nurse is facing criminal charges for stealing prescription drugs and fired from the job, you'd think a warning or red flag would go on her license to warn others until the investigation is complete. A car found wedged in the mud on the side of the I-40 in Fayette County ended up being [...]

ISSUE OF THE CASE If a husband-and-wife pharmacy pair owned and operated a pharmacy that was very actively involved in drug diversion that resulted in their criminal convictions under the relevant federal statutes, can the judge add to their penalty of imprisonment a substantial monetary fine to recover their ill-gotten gains? FACTS OF THE CASE [...]

A doctor with a history of misconduct who lost his medical license three times was sentenced to seven years in prison Friday for running a clinic that prescribed opioids with little evaluation or oversight. Shriharsh Pole, 65, pleaded guilty in federal court in Alexandria last year to a drug distribution conspiracy. “I realize my mistake, [...]

A Maplewood dentist agreed to pay $75,000 in civil penalties after authorities say he prescribed opioid medication to patients who didn’t have a medical need. Jerry Kent Brunsoman and his clinic, Institute of Facial Surgery St. Paul, PLLC, reached the settlement in federal court Friday, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. According to the civil [...]

For more than 40 years, it has been working to provide second chances for thousands of cats and dogs that otherwise might not have a home. But following a nearly three-month investigation by the 5 On Your Side I-Team, several serious allegations are now coming to light about Open Door Animal Sanctuary in Jefferson County. [...]