A doctor from Gibsonia has been charged with unlawfully distributing opioids.
The indictment of Andrzej Zielke, 62, is the first since U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the formation of the Opioid and Abuse Detection Unit, a Department of Justice iniative to target and prosecute individuals that are contributing to the nation’s opioid crisis.
Zielke owned and operated Medical Frontiers, which was advertised as a holistic pain management practice located in Gibsonia. The indictment alleges that on 13 occasions, Zielke prescribed narcotics such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine sulfate and methadone “outside the usual course of professional practice and not for legitimate medical purpose.”
The complaint alleges that Dr. Zielke engaged in a pattern of illegally prescribing opioid painkillers to patients with no legitimate medical purpose and without examination, evaluation or testing.
Agents began investigating his practice based on information they received that Zielke was writing a large number of oxycodone prescriptions for people in McKessport. According to former employees and patients, Zielke charged approximately $250 cash for office visits and many of his patients traveled long distances to see him.
Zielke was arrested on Oct. 5. On Oct. 11, the Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine issued a Temporary Suspension of Dr. Zielke’s license to practice medicine and surgery.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $1 million, or both, for each count of the indictment. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Enforcement and Investigation, conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
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