Feds: Physician Assistant Flooded Long Island Streets With Oxycodone

A physician assistant from Riverhead is accused of illegally distributing tens of thousands oxycodone pills in exchange for a kickback from drug dealers when the highly addictive painkillers were sold on the street, federal authorities announced Wednesday.

Michael Troyan, 37, was arrested Wednesday morning at East End Urgent and Primary Care located at 1228 E. Main Street in Riverhead, according to a news release from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.

Troyan is charged with conspiring to illegally distribute oxycodone. According to prosecutors, between November 2011 and October 2015, Troyan, who had the authority to prescribe controlled substances, issued prescriptions for thousands (Newsday reported the figure as 60,000) of oxycodone pills to co-conspirators for the purpose of illegally re-selling the pills for cash.

Troyan was captured on video in an undercover operation writing phony prescriptions for oxycodone and receiving large quantities of cash at his Riverhead medical office for prior illegal sales, federal authorities said. Troyan allegedly received $5 for each pill that was sold for $10 on the street.

“As alleged, Troyan abused his authority to prescribe controlled substances and his position of trust as a physician assistant to illegally sell oxycodone in exchange for cash,” United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Robert Capers said. “Such abuse by health care professionals will not be tolerated.”

Troyan holds a bachelor of science degree in physician assistant studies from Touro College in Bay Shore, according to his bio on the website for East End Urgent and Primary Care, which also has an office in Wading River.

If convicted, Troyan faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.