Doctor Paying $300K To Resolve Substance Act Violations In Levittown

LOWER BUCKS COUNTY, PA —A Levittown physician and pharmacy owner has agreed to pay $300,000 to resolve Controlled Substances Act Violations, federal authorities said.

U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Joseph E. Kepko, D.O., has agreed to pay $300,000 to resolve allegations that he violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) by failing to maintain adequate Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registrations for his Red Rose Rejuvenation medical practices that he owned and operated.

Federal authorities also said he failed to maintain receiving and dispensing records, failed to perform biennial inventories, and possessed pre-signed prescriptions.

The investigation involved Kepko’s medical practices in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as well as his DEA-registered address that Kepko owned and operated at 1 Red Rose Drive, Levittown.

Kepko, a Levittown physician, is registered to prescribe, administer, purchase, and dispense Schedule II-V controlled substances.

The settlement resolves allegations that between January 2021 and August 2023, Kepko failed to maintain adequate DEA registrations for multiple medical practices where he owned, operated, and stored controlled substances, authorities said.

Kepko failed to maintain complete and accurate records of controlled substances, failed to take a biennial inventory, and had possession of pre-signed prescriptions in violation of the CSA, federal authorities said.

In addition to the $300,000 penalty, Kepko has entered into a three-year Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the DEA, which includes several monitoring requirements.

Kepko must report all patient requests for controlled substances that give rise to suspicion that the patient is engaging in or attempting to engage in illegal drug diversion conduct for both Kepko’s Pennsylvania and New Jersey DEA-registered addresses.

Kepko must also share Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of all aspects of purchasing, storing, and distributing controlled substances with DEA, the agreement states.

“Controlled substances, especially opioids, pose extraordinary risks to communities in this district,” Romero said. “When physicians and pharmacies are granted the privilege of purchasing controlled substances, they also accept the significant responsibility of ensuring that controlled substances are used for a legitimate, medical purpose. As a result, they must maintain the records necessary for accountability and transparency. When this does not happen, we will work with our law enforcement partners, and use all available enforcement tools, to hold both physicians and pharmacies responsible.”