Levittown Doctor Charged In Death Of Patient: Indictment

A former Bucks County doctor has been charged by indictment in the death of one of his patients, authorities announced Thursday.

William J. O’Brien III, a doctor of osteopathic medicine who had an office in Levittown, is alleged to have caused the patient’s death through the illegal distribution of a controlled substance. He also faces 95 additional counts of distribution of controlled substances, including oxycodone, methadone and amphetamines, the indictment said.

According to the indictment, O’Brien prescribed cyclobenzaprine (muscle relaxant), oxycodone, methadone and cyclobenzaprine to a patient in Levittown for no “legitimate” medical purpose in December 2013.

The unidentified person died as a result of the combined use of these substances, authorities allege.

Additionally, eight more people are charged in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances along with O’Brien, the FBI said. Some of those charged are members of the Pagans Motorcycle Club, according to the indictment.

Charged in the conspiracy with O’Brien are: Michael Thompson, 49, Peter Marrandino, 48, Joseph Mehl, 48, Patrick Treacy, 47, Charles Johnson, 46, Frank Corazo, Jr, 52, Jennifer Lynn Chambers, 21, all of Philadelphia, and Joseph Mitchell, Sr, 39, of West Deptford, New Jersey.

According to the indictment, between March 2012 and January 2015, O’Brien dispensed and his coconspirators unlawfully sold more than 378,910 pills of oxycodone and approximately 160,492 methadone pills.

The estimated street value of the controlled substances sold by the conspiracy is estimated at approximately $5 million. O’Brien made estimated $2 million in cash proceeds from the alleged drug trafficking conspiracy, authorities allege.

According to the indictment:

• Defendants Thompson, Marrandino, Mehl, Mitchell and Treacy were members or associates of the Pagans and conspired with O’Brien to distribute large quantities of dangerous and addictive controlled substances for profit, according to the FBI. Through their connection to the Pagans, the defendants had access to illegal drug distributors, the indictment alleges.
• O’Brien and the defendants allegedly developed a scheme whereby so-called “patients,” who were recruited by the defendants, would typically pay O’Brien a $200 “co-pay” in cash in exchange for medically unnecessary prescriptions for controlled substances.
• After filling the prescriptions they got from O’Brien, the “patients” would turn the pills over to the defendants who would sell the pills to drug dealers.
• O’Brien and his ex-wife, a ninth defendant, Elizabeth Hibbs, 54, are both charged with money laundering, bankruptcy fraud and making false statements under oath in a bankruptcy proceeding, the FBI announced. Authorities allege they conspired to hide income, including money from the drug distribution operation.

If convicted of all charges, O’Brien faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

The case was investigated by the FBI, the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Leahy.