Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Sentenced for Drug Distribution

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine was sentenced to federal prison for drug distribution, announced Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston.  Mathew Sisson, 29, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for distributing oxycodone for no legitimate medical purpose and outside the bounds of professional practice. Sisson was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following his release from prison.

Sisson previously admitted that while holding an education permit granted by the West Virginia Board of Osteopathic Medicine, he participated in a training program at the Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) located in Charleston, Kanawha County, West Virginia.  The training program authorized him to practice medicine and prescribe controlled substances within the confines of the program. Sisson acknowledged that his privileges at CAMC and the limited permit issued by the West Virginia Board of Osteopathic Medicine did not permit him to issue prescriptions that were not for legitimate medical purposes, and issued outside the course of professional medical practice. 

According to Sisson, he met with an individual on October 17, 2017 in the CAMC lobby and provided a written prescription for 60 oxycodone 30 mg pills to that individual. At the time Sisson provided the prescription, the individual was not a patient of the CAMC program, nor was another physician supervising Sisson at the time.  Sisson admitted that he did not do a physical exam on the individual and that the prescription he provided was not for legitimate medical purposes, and outside the bounds of a professional medical practice.  Sisson also previously admitted to providing prescriptions for controlled substances to individuals who were not patients in CAMC’s program from September 2017 through January 2018. 

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman handled the prosecution.

United States Attorney Mike Stuart was recused from this prosecution.

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