Health & Fitness

Long Valley Man Wrote Illegal Oxycodone Prescriptions: Officials

The Long Valley doctor pled guilty to writing illegal prescriptions and defrauding Medicare, the US Attorney for New Jersey said.

LONG VALLEY, NJ — A Long Valley man pled guilty to writing illegal oxycodone prescriptions and conspiring to defraud Medicare, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Craig Carpenito announced on Thursday.

Jose Leyson, 71, of Long Valley, prescribed hundreds of pills illegally while working as a urologist in Newark, Carpenito said. He pled guilty in federal court to one count of illegally distributing oxycodone and one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.

According to Carpenito, Leyson illegally sold prescriptions for oxycodone to a confidential source acting on behalf of law enforcement four times between Nov. 11, 2013 and Jan. 6, 2014. Leyson wrote the prescriptions in exchange for cash or access to welfare benefits without performing any medical treatments. In total, he prescribed at least 420 30 milligram pills to the informant.

Find out what's happening in Long Valleyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Leyson also submitted fake bills to Medicare and Medicade for allergy tests that were not medically necessary. He was paid at least $30,000 from the agencies, Carpenito said.

Leyson faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1.25 million fine when he is sentenced in April.

Find out what's happening in Long Valleyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.


Photo by John Moore/Getty Images

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