STATE COLLEGE – Two Philipsburg doctors were arrested Tuesday, but the men are still allowed to practice medicine.
That news came from Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett during a news conference in State College Tuesday.
Corbett said whether Dr. Larry Adams and Dr. Michael Fuentes will have their medical licenses suspended will be up to the authorities charged with licensing those in the medical profession.
As of Wednesday morning, Adams license as a medical physician and surgeon was in good standing, and no disciplinary actions were filed against the license. Fuentes’ license is also in good standing. The notation listed showed that Fuentes did have a disciplinary action filed, although the specifics were not available as of posting time.
Corbet said that both Adams and Fuentes, working at Mid-State Medical, are not permitted to write prescriptions currently due to a litany of drug charges filed against the men Tuesday. Among those charges are allegations that the doctors used a narcotic addict to sell prescription pain medication on the street.
For the previous GantDaily story on the arrest, click here.
The man Adams and Fuentes used testified before a grand jury that he gave money to the doctors after selling the pills. He said he also did favors for them such as picking up vehicles from out of state. The man said if he failed to do as asked, Adams, and at times, Fuentes, would withhold the medication he needed to sustain his addiction.
Although the man was seen by Adams and Fuentes as early as 2000, he began working as a confidential informant with law enforcement about six months ago.
Corbett said he could not estimate the number of addicts or potential addicts created as a result of the doctors’ arrangement with the man, and he said it was also difficult to attach a dollar figure to the amount of money the doctors might have made through any illegal drug sales.
Adams has been the only public financial backer involved in a group that had plans to open Philipsburg Hospital. Corbett could not comment on whether any alleged money obtained from selling prescription drugs went to his hospital investment.
Adams and Fuentes each face charges that include felony counts, the highest degree for a criminal offense. Corbett said a conviction on the worst of the crimes with which the doctors are charged carries a maximium sentence of 15 years in jail and a $250,000 fine.
Both men are presumed innocent until the time they are proven guilty in a court of law or a plea is entered.