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ABINGDON, Va. — A Norton doctor was arrested Wednesday after authorities said he acquired drugs by fraud, failed to maintain records, and made false statements.
Dr. R. Moore, 61, of Wise, was charged with one count of acquiring, obtaining, or possessing schedule II and schedule IV controlled substances by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception, or subterfuge, one count of failing to maintaining records for schedule II and schedule IV controlled substances received, delivered or shipped and one count of making false statements.
According to court documents, beginning in July 2016 and continuing to January 2019, Moore acquired hydrocodone tablets, oxycodone-acetaminophen tablets, fentanyl transdermal system, meperidine tablets, Alprazolam tablets, Lorazepam tablets, clonazepam tablets, tramadol, and diazepam, through fraud, forgery or deception. Moore is accused of failing to maintain the required records for these drugs.
Search warrants executed Moore’s home and medical offices revealed many of the same schedule II and schedule IV controlled substances were found at his home, according to authorities. Investigators said Moore was unlawfully prescribing schedule II and schedule IV medication to patients in order for the same medication to be returned to Moore for personal ingestion.
“It is critical that physicians and other health-care providers who prescribe controlled substances scrupulously follow the law and standards of care to ensure that these drugs are not diverted and abused,” U.S. Attorney Thomas Cullen stated. “When these medical professionals violate their Hippocratic oaths – and essentially act as drug dealers – we will use all available resources to send them to federal prison.”
“It’s so critical that we maintain tight controls over the supply of prescription drugs because opioid abuse and dependence often has its roots in the medicine cabinet with the misuse of prescription medications,” Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring said.
“This is once again a prime example of why the DEA’s Tactical Diversion Squads were formed throughout the nation,” said Jesse Fong, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Division Office. “We have no higher priority than investigating drug-dealing physicians and other corrupt health-care practitioners and putting them in federal prison. Doctor Moore flooded Southwestern Virginia, with his opioid prescriptions. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squads will relentlessly investigate and arrest these drug dealers disguised as doctors.”