ALLENTOWN – An Allentown doctor was arrested Friday by agents from the Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation for illegally writing and possessing prescription narcotics.
Attorney General Tom Corbett identified the defendant as Dr. John J. Cassel, 59, of Allentown. Cassel is a cardiologist and owns a practice in Allentown.
“Prescription drug abuse is becoming one of the most prevalent forms of drug abuse in the country,” Corbett said. “This problem will only get worse until people begin to understand the severe problem associated with prescription drug abuse.
“Many believe that because these drugs are prescribed by someone in a white coat they are harmless, but unfortunately, that belief is dead wrong.”
According to the criminal complaint, Cassel was allegedly using his mother-in-law’s name to write prescriptions for Ritalin and Adderall, both Schedule II controlled substances.
On Jan. 18, BNI agents were contacted by the Drug Enforcement Administration after a CVS pharmacist advised the DEA that Cassel had allegedly been writing prescriptions for a CVS customer, Stella Franklin, and then picking up the same prescriptions.
Corbett said that agents from BNI and the DEA went to the CVS Pharmacy to investigate, and confiscated 15 original prescriptions written by Cassel for Franklin. The pharmacy also turned over signature sheets that showed Cassel had signed for and received each of the prescriptions.
Corbett said the agents also went another CVS Pharmacy in Allentown and confiscated 12 original prescriptions written by Cassel, as well as nine signature sheets with his signature.
The criminal complaint states that agents went to the residence of Stella Franklin, where she revealed that Cassel had been her doctor until September when Cassel informed Franklin that he could no longer be her doctor due to his impending divorce from Franklin’s daughter.
Corbett said Franklin told the agents that she has never been prescribed Ritalin, Adderall, or any other Amphetamine mixture.
Corbett said that on March 2, Franklin informed BNI agents that Cassel had referred her to a new doctor and he had provided her with a “Note to Patient” dated Sept. 15 which listed all of her current medications — none of which was an amphetamine.
According to the criminal complaint, from Jan. 30, 2004, until Sept. 1, Cassel wrote 29 prescriptions for more than 3,660 pills of Ritalin and Adderall using Stella Franklin’s name without her permission or knowledge.
Cassel was arrested Friday and charged with one felony count of obtaining or possessing a controlled substance by misrepresentation or fraud and one misdemeanor count possession of a controlled substance.
Cassel was arraigned by Allentown Magisterial District Judge Maryesther Merko and released on $10,000 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing will be scheduled for a later date.
The case will be prosecuted by Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin’s Office.