[duckrooster]

News from DEA,Domestic Field Divisions, Caribbean News Releases, 01/29/07


Seven Doctors Indicted in Puerto Rico
Those Arrested Sold $3.3 Million Worth of Illegal Prescriptions over Internet

JAN 29--(SAN JUAN) – Jerome Michael Harris, Special Agent in Charge, Caribbean Division, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Velez, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, and Ralph Culkin, Resident Agent in Charge, Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA/OCI), today announced the indictment of seven doctors licensed to practice medicine in Puerto Rico. Charges include conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, wire fraud, and money laundering. In addition, a forfeiture allegation in the amount of $3.3 million dollars was also included in the indictment.

Those arrested (location of arrest) as part of DEA’s Operation Click4Drugs are:

* Dr. Alfred VALDIVIESO-Rodriguez (Tampa, Florida)
* Dr. Juan A. TOSADO-Polanco (Santa Isabel, PR)
* Blanca I. PLAZA-Rodriguez (Dorado, PR)
* Maileen LUGO-Torres (Cabo Rojo, PR)
* Abelardo E. LECOMPTE-Torres (Ponce, PR)
* Norberto J. SEDA-Olmo (Parma Heights, Ohio)
* Juan M. RAMOS-Gonzalez (Houston, Texas)

Operation Click 4 Drugs targeted an organization which distributed large quantities of Schedule III and Schedule IV controlled substances via the internet. These doctors issued thousands of illegal prescriptions through the internet for drugs such as Hydrocodone, Phentermine and Diazepam. The physicians were involved with Internet Facilitation Centers and Internet pharmacies that solicited customers throughout the United States who were seeking controlled substances. These centers would then refer the customers to these physicians using numerous web sites and e-mail addresses. The doctors would review on-line questionnaires and electronically approve a prescription via the internet. Then pharmacies in the United States would ship the controlled substances via private carriers to customers in numerous jurisdictions within the 50 states.

These physicians prescribed controlled substances and dangerous drugs to internet customers without establishing patient history, performing a mental or physical exam, using appropriate diagnostic or laboratory testing, or providing a means to monitor medication response. The prescriptions were issued after only an alleged internet consultation and without a legitimate medical purpose.

These physicians issued prescriptions in states where they did not possess a license to practice medicine or a DEA registration to lawfully handle controlled substances which is in violation of the Controlled Substance Act.

The indictment was issued by a federal grand jury on January 26, 2007 and is the culmination of a two- year joint investigation led by the DEA San Juan Diversion Tactical Group and the FDA/OCI San Juan Resident Office with the assistance of the National Drug Intelligence Center, Document Exploitation Unit.

The public is reminded that they can report suspicious internet pharmacies activities through the toll- free line 1-800-RX-ABUSE (1-877-792-2873).

[rainbow_tears]

WOAH! I guess that article 'brings home' just how risky it is to order online.

Thank you for sharing iwth us.

Lea
xxx

[Jessiegirl]

* Norberto J. SEDA-Olmo (Parma Heights, Ohio)

I know I got a script with this name a few months ago. Not sure from where....ugetmeds maybe?

It's getting scary...

[kertuck]

That's the one...ugetmeds.

[lifesavers]

i ordered from getwellrx back in september and his name was on my pill botle also. i hope they dont start investigating who his so called patients are.

[lin72776]

Also I just a bottle from pillbar.com 2 weeks ago and the dr. listed on my bottle is on that list, don't order from there!

[pt rose]

The Bottle I have from MyLittlePharmacy, ordered in July of 2006, has one of the Doctor's on the list.

Dr. Juan A. TOSADO-Polanco (Santa Isabel, PR)