California physician Donald Siao, MD, has been convicted by a jury of 12 counts of distributing opioids outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Dr. Siao wrote 8,201 prescriptions for controlled substance medications in just the one-year period between May 2016 and May 2017, according to a June 23 news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California.
An investigation found Dr. Siao wrote prescriptions for oxycodone and hydrocodone for four undercover agents who asked for the specific opioids by name, complained of vague pain or discomfort and admitted to sharing prescriptions with others.
Evidence also demonstrated that Dr. Siao continued to prescribe opioids to a patient after they had overdosed twice and to another patient who was previously jailed for selling pills.
Dr. Siao's sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 7, and the United States is also seeking forfeiture of his medical license.