January 11, 2010

PHYSICIAN SENTENCED FOR UNLAWFULLY PRESCRIBING A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE

WICHITA, KAN. – Physician LAWRENCE M. SIMONS, 53, Goddard, Kan., has been sentenced to two years in prison for unlawfully prescribing a controlled substance, U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch said today.

In his plea, Simons admitted that on November 16, 2007, he signed two prescriptions for Fentanyl for a person identified as Crystal B. On January 15, 2008, he signed two more prescriptions for Fentanyl for Crystal B. It is unlawful for a physician to prescribe controlled substances except for a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of medical practice. Simons had never established a physician patient relationship with Crystal B. In fact, he had never met her.

Welch commended the Drug Enforcement Administration and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger for their work on the case.