ewport Coast , Orange County - Last week, Dr. Nazar Al Bussam, 71, of Newport Coast was charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Dr. Bussam along with his employees. Rosemary Mendoza, 75, and James Park, 72, were all charged for the same offense.
Drug Enforcement Administration agents conducted a 2-year investigation into Dr. Bussam's practice and were contacted by several pharmacies informing them of his prescribing activity. Authorities indicate that Bussam wrote nearly 60,000 prescriptions that were used to obtain narcotics including OxyContin, Percocet, Percodan, Dilaudid, Vicodin, Norco , Lortab, Xanax, Suboxone, Subutex and Soma.
Doctors are prohibited from writing prescriptions without a legitimate medical purpose.
The idea is that physicians should not act like drug dealers and "divert" controlled substances to illegitimate uses. Law enforcement can come down hard in these cases. The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office recently convicted a doctor who was among the largest prescriber of certain medications in the country.
California Health & Safety Code Section 11153 hs talks about this issue. According to the statute, a doctor cannot issue a prescription 1) outside the usual course of the doctor's practice; 2) for a medical purpose that is not legitimate; and, 3) including to an addict outside of professional treatment.
Bassam and his employees can face up to 20 years in federal prison for committing these crimes. Additionally, Bassam may be placed on probation, serve and perform hundreds upon hundreds of hours of community service, pay restitution in the thousands to several health care insurance programs, and/or Bassam may have to surrender or forfeit his medical license as well as his DEA registration number, which allows him to issue prescriptions for controlled substances.
Bassam may have to close his office and no longer operate his business in Downey and Los Angeles county.
If you are a licensed doctor and being investigated by the medical board or by the DEA, you need a vigilant and aggressive attorney to tell you your rights and defend them appropriately.
If you're charged with a California felony, you need to consult with an experienced Orange County Criminal defense attorney immediately. A highly qualified attorney can help you avoid jail, minimize the penalties and achieve a favorable outcome in your case.
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