Doctor Gets 5-15 Yrs. In Prison For Overprescribing Opioids: Nassau DA

MINEOLA, NY — A Nassau County doctor from Rockville Centre has been sentenced to five to 15 years in prison for prescription practices involving opioids that led to the deaths of five patients between 2016 and 2018, prosecutors announced.

George Blatti, 78, pleaded guilty on October 10, to five counts of second-degree manslaughter, officials said.

"This doctor prescribed massive quantities of dangerous drugs to victims exhibiting clear signs of addiction and other health emergencies. His actions ultimately led to the deaths of five patients from drug overdose," said Nassau County DA Anne Donnelly.

In some cases, according to the D.A., Blatti prescribed opioid painkillers at patients’ request to individuals he had never met or spoken to, the DA said.

Blatti met other customers at a makeshift office in a Franklin Square storefront through 2019 that was formerly a Radio Shack, with a Radio Shack sign and merchandise racks still on the walls, the DA added.

After Blatti lost access to that space, he saw patients in his car, prescribing medications with no examination from the parking lots of the Rockville Centre hotel where he lived and a nearby Dunkin’ Donuts, prosecutors said.

DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino said: "Today’s sentencing underscores the defendant’s blatant disregard to a doctor’s oath to do no harm. Dr. Blatti’s irreversible crimes have led to five deaths and hurt countless other people."

Blatti used paper prescriptions under a waiver issued by the New York State Health Commissioner, allowing him to avoid using the state’s secure electronic prescription system, the DA said.

Blatti was a general practitioner, originally licensed to practice medicine in 1976, and had no specialized training or accreditation in pain management, Donnelly said.

The investigation showed that between 2016 and 2018, patients addicted to opioids went to Blatti with requests for controlled medications and he prescribed thousands of pills for drugs like oxycodone, morphine, clonazepam, alprazolam and oxycontin without a medical history or exam, Donnelly said.