Michigan Doctor Sent To Federal Prison For 'Deliberate Drug Dealing'

DETROIT (WWJ) - A southeast Michigan doctor-turned drug dealer will serve years behind bars.

Oscar Linares, 59, was sentenced today to 57 months in federal prison after admitting to illegally prescribing over one million dosages of oxycodone and other Schedule II prescription medications while operating the Monroe Pain Center.

The U.S. Attorney's office says the Monroe man will also have 236,000 taken from his bank accounts and will forfeit jewelry, luxury cars, boats and other luxury items tied to the operation.

According to court records, Linares prescribed controlled substances for as many as 250 patients per day — many whom he never even saw — paying bonuses to his employees when the number of patients in a single day exceeded 200.

In addition to giving out drugs, Linares also billed fraudulently billed Medicare while submitting patients to medical tests without regard to their symptoms or medical conditions.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. District Judge Victoria Roberts described the case as "a serious breach of the public trust," and "deliberate drug dealing by a doctor."

"This court cannot tolerate the level of abuse that has been going on by medical professionals," Roberts said, adding that Linares' crimes demonstrate a "callous disregard" of his obligation to do no harm.

Following his federal prison term, Linares will serve three years of supervised release.

"This doctor will spend nearly five years in prison for running a pill mill and fueling the prescription drug addiction epidemic," McQuade said. "Doctors who poison our  community by pushing pain pills for profit will be treated as criminals and held
accountable."

The DEA, FBI, IRS and the Department of Health and Human Services worked together with local law enforcement on the case.