4 Montco Doctors Prescribed Opioids To Addicts, Drug Dealers: DA

NORRISTOWN, PA — Four Montgomery County doctors have been arrested for illegally prescribing opioids to drug addicts and drug traffickers around the region, the District Attorney's Office announced on Wednesday morning. The prescriptions led to numerous overdose deaths, authorities said.

The investigation, which spanned across southeastern Pennsylvania and into South Jersey, was ongoing for seven months. DA Kevin Steele said that doctors like these are "fueling addictions and the opioid epidemic."

Arrested were family medicine physicians Lawrence Miller, 48, who practiced in Lansdale, Joseph Cipriano, 56, who practiced in Norristown, Brian Keeley, 51, who practiced in Ambler, and Joseph Rybicki, 59, who practiced in Lower Moreland.

UPDATE: Patients Loved Him, But 9 Of Them Died: The Story Of Dr. Miller

The DA said that nine of Miller's patients died of overdoses. Miller, a Warminster native working out of 1000 Walnut Street in Lansdale, often prescribed doses that were up to 10 times higher than the maximum dosage recommended by state and national guidelines, authorities said.

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In some cases, Miller would prescribe more than 500 pills of opioid painkillers, according to the DA. Authorities said little or no accompanying medical treatment came with the prescriptions.

Over time, the DA said his practice "became a magnet to drug addicts and traffickers."

Cipriano, who practiced at Cipriano Family Practice on 905 Dekalb Street in Norristown, took a different tact. He prescribed numerous controlled substances to female patients in exchange for nude pictures, videos, or sexual favors, the DA said.

The patients told police that they would request the drugs from Cipriano over SnapChat, and he would issue prescriptions electronically. Some of the drugs included oxycodone, adderall, benzodiazepines, and promethazine cough syrup, according to police.

Over at Ambler Family Practice on 10 Cavalier Drive in Ambler, Keeley provided prescriptions straight up for cash, the DA said. A confidential information bought prescriptions for numerous controlled substances from him over a period of several months, according to authorities.

Furthermore, the practice was found to be both unsafe and unsterile, with carpets stained with animal excrement, rotting animal food, and unsanitary storage of medical equipment, the DA said.

Rybicki, a Haddonfield, New Jersey native, practiced out of a home on Grasshopper Road in Lower Moreland. Along with his wife, Ann Rybicki, who has also been charged, he provided opioids and benzodiazepines to patients without ever seeing them for an appointment, the DA said. Patients were charged a monthly fee.

"These (doctors) were contributing to the heroin-opioid epidemic and making it worse," DA Kevin Steele said in a statement, saying that such doctors "fuel addiction."

Miller, arrested on Sept. 12, faces 31 counts of unlawful prescribing and related counts. His bail was set at $100,000 and he waved his preliminary hearing.

Cipriano, arrested on July 18, faces corrupt organization, welfare fraud, insurance fraud, eight counts of unlawful prescribing, and more. His bail was set at $200,000 and a preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 13.

Keeley, arrested May 1, faces 48 counts of unlawful prescribing, insurance fraud, and more. His bail was set at $50,000 and a trial date is forthcoming.

Rybicki, arrested Feb. 6, is charged with acquiring controlled substances by fraud, 15 counts of unlawful prescribing, and one count of dealing in unlawful proceeds. Bail was set at $50,000 and he is awaiting a trial date

Image via Montgomery County District Attorney's Office