Cincinnati Physician Convicted of Illegally Distributing Oxycodone

Case involved illegal prescribing practices at a Georgetown, Ky. pain clinic

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Yesterday, Alan Arnold Godofsky, 61, of Cincinnati, was found guilty by a federal jury, on five counts of distributing oxycodone outside the scope of professional medical practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose.  The jury returned its guilty verdict after seven days of trial.

The evidence at trial established that, from March 2011 through January 2012, Godofsky worked as a physician at Central Kentucky Bariatric and Pain Management, in Georgetown.  The evidence further established that, during this period, Godofsky prescribed significant quantities of oxycodone pills to patients, outside the scope of professional medical practice and without a legitimate medical purpose.  Specifically, the evidence established that he prescribed these drugs without conducting examinations, without obtaining informed consent, and to patients who had no legitimate medical need.

“Sadly, this case represents yet another example of a physician abdicating his professional responsibility to his patients, placing his own profit over sound medical judgment, and fueling the opioid epidemic,” said Carlton S. Shier, IV, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky.  “Prescription opioid abuse has decimated our community and the prosecution of medical professionals who betray the trust of patients and illegally dispense these highly addictive medications has been, and will continue to be, a priority for our office.  We appreciate the great work of our law enforcement partners in this case; without them, this important prosecution would not have been possible.”     

Acting United States Attorney Shier; Timothy J. Plancon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration; Andy Beshear, Attorney General of Kentucky; Richard Sanders, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police; and Steven Davis, Acting Inspector General, Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, jointly announced the verdict.

Godofsky is scheduled to be formally sentenced on January 24, 2018.  The investigation was conducted by the DEA, the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, the KSP, and the CHFS Office of the Inspector General.  The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Ron L. Walker, Jr.