Haddonfield Doctor Sold Opioid Prescriptions To Addicts: DA

HADDONFIELD, NJ — A Haddonfield man who practices medicine in southeastern Pennsylvania is among four area doctors have been arrested for illegally prescribing opioids to drug addicts and drug traffickers around the region, the District Attorney's Office announced on Wednesday morning.

Joseph Rybicki, 59, faces numerous charges, including 13 counts of acquisition of controlled substances by fraud, 15 counts of unlawful prescribing, and one count of dealing in unlawful proceeds.

The investigation, which spanned across southeastern Pennsylvania and into South Jersey, was ongoing for seven months.

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Also arrested were Montgomery County, Pennsylvania family medicine physicians Lawrence Miller, 48, who practiced in Lansdale, Joseph Cipriano, 56, who practiced in Norristown, and Brian Keeley, 51, who practiced in Ambler.

Rybicki, practiced out of a home in Lower Moreland, on Grasshopper Road, according to authorities. Along with his wife, Ann Rybicki, who has also been charged, he provided opioids and benzodiazepines to patients without ever seeing them for an appointment, the DA said. Patients were charged a monthly fee.

In some cases, Rybicki even issued prescriptions in his daughter's name, in order to avoid suspicion, police said.

Rybicki began providing patients will controlled substances in Oct. 2015, after he was evicted from his medical practice in Philadelphia, according to authorities.

Three More Doctors Charged

The DA said that nine of Miller's patients died of overdoses. Miller, a Warminster native working out of 1000 Walnut Street in Lansdale, often prescribed doses that were up to 10 times higher than the maximum dosage recommended by state and national guidelines, authorities said.

In some cases, Miller would prescribe more than 500 pills of opioid painkillers, according to the DA. Authorities said little or no accompanying medical treatment came with the prescriptions.

Over time, the DA said his practice "became a magnet to drug addicts and traffickers."

Cipriano, who practiced at Cipriano Family Practice on 905 Dekalb Street in Norristown, took a different tact. He prescribed numerous controlled substances to female patients in exchange for nude pictures, videos, or sexual favors, the DA said.

The patients told police that they would request the drugs from Cipriano over SnapChat, and he would issue prescriptions electronically. Some of the drugs included oxycodone, adderall, benzodiazepines, and promethazine cough syrup, according to police.

Over at Ambler Family Practice on 10 Cavalier Drive in Ambler, Keeley provided prescriptions straight up for cash, the DA said. A confidential information bought prescriptions for numerous controlled substances from him over a period of several months, according to authorities.

Furthermore, the practice was found to be both unsafe and unsterile, with carpets stained with animal excrement, rotting animal food, and unsanitary storage of medical equipment, the DA said.

"These (doctors) were contributing to the heroin-opioid epidemic and making it worse," DA Kevin Steele said in a statement, saying that such doctors "fuel addiction."

Miller, arrested on Sept. 12, faces 31 counts of unlawful prescribing and related counts. His bail was set at $100,000 and he waved his preliminary hearing.

Cipriano, arrested on July 18, faces corrupt organization, welfare fraud, insurance fraud, eight counts of unlawful prescribing, and more. His bail was set at $200,000 and a preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 13.

Keeley, arrested May 1, faces 48 counts of unlawful prescribing, insurance fraud, and more. His bail was set at $50,000 and a trial date is forthcoming.

Rybicki, arrested Feb. 6, is charged with acquiring controlled substances by fraud, 15 counts of unlawful prescribing, and one count of dealing in unlawful proceeds. Bail was set at $50,000 and he is awaiting a trial date

Image via Montgomery County District Attorney's Office