Medical Doctor Sentenced for Illegally Dispensing Schedule II and Schedule III Controlled Substances

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announces that DR. BARBARA A. BRUCE, M.D., age 45, was sentenced yesterday for her plea of guilty to a one count bill of information charging her with conspiring with others to dispense quantities of Schedule II and Schedule III drug controlled substances outside the scope of professional practice and not for legitimate medical purposes. 

DR. BRUCE admitted in a factual basis that she operated the medical office of Barbara A. Bruce, M.D. at 9954 Lake Forest Blvd., Suite 10, in New Orleans, Louisiana, between August 2014 and April 2015.  She acknowledged that during her medical practice she wrote prescriptions that were provided to patients without her conducting a medical examination of the patient, and at times, without even seeing the patient.  DR. BRUCE admitted that she conspired with a member of her medical staff and with Kenneth Knight who split 50 percent of the profits received by DR. BRUCE through her medical practice.  The owner of the medical clinic previously entered a plea of guilty to the same conspiracy and is pending sentencing. 

DR. BRUCE was sentenced to 30 months incarceration.  The Honorable Barry W. Ashe sentenced the defendant.

U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration New Orleans Office and the Internal Revenue Service, Gulfport, Mississippi for investigating this matter.   Assistant U.S. Attorney John F. Murphy is in charge of the prosecution.