North Texas physician given 40-month sentence for overprescribing opioids
DENTON, Texas - A Denton physician was sentenced to federal prison on charges related to overprescribing opioids.
Stanley Charles Evans, 63, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and dispense controlled substances and health care fraud last year.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern Division of Texas, Evans was operating a family practice in Denton, where he prescribed about 370,000 dosage units of hydrocodone "outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose" starting in 2017.
The investigation into Evans began after authorities were told Evans would pre-sign opioid prescriptions for patients with drug seeking behavior, and those patients would be seen by his nurse practitioners.
"Over prescribing opioids has wreaked havoc on our country over the years, and we’ve seen devastating losses in Texas relating to opioid overdoses," U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs said in a statement. "This doctor took an oath to do no harm, yet he chose to become an illegal drug dealer by over prescribing powerful drugs. It is my hope that this case sends a powerful message to doctors who are thinking about engaging in such conduct."