Federal jury convicts doctor in overdose death, prescription drug offenses
A former St. Clair Shores doctor was convicted Friday of a slew of federal charges related to prescription drug offenses, including an overdose death, federal prosecutors said.
Bernard Shelton, 66, was convicted of 21 charges by a jury in U.S. District Court in Detroit in a trial that began in late February, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Detroit. He is facing a prison sentence of 20 years or more.
Shelton was indicted in October 2017.
“Doctors who dangerously prescribe opiates for their own profit endanger the community just like other drug dealers," U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison said in the release. "When a doctor causes an overdose death with an illegitimate prescription, we will not hesitate to hold the doctor accountable.”
A second overdose was fatal
“My office is committed to keeping highly addictive opioids off the street, and we will aggressively investigate and prosecute medical professionals or anyone else who illegally distributes controlled substances.”
Prosecutors said Shelton began prescribing opioid pain relievers in 2010 to a patient whose pain was previously treated by prescription-strength Motrin. He prescribed increasingly stronger controlled substances during the next six years, and the patient became addicted.
Shelton unlawfully prescribed an increased dose of oxycodone to the 54-year-old on Jan. 14, 2016, with the patient filling the prescription four days later. Two days later, the patient overdosed, but received Narcan and survived.
The patient died Jan. 24, 2016, from a second oxycodone overdose, according to the release.
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Millions of opioids prescribed: 'What can I give you today?'
Prosecutors also said Shelton prescribed more than 5.5 million doses of controlled substances from April 2013 through December 2016. Prescriptions included more than 2.7 million doses of substances such as oxycodone and hydrocodone, they said, with types and strengths being those most valuable on the street market.
When an undercover patient complaining of back stiffness initially visited Shelton, the doctor didn’t examine the patient’s back and asked: “What can I give you today?” before prescribing the requested narcotics, according to the release.
It also stated Shelton issued 21 prescriptions to seven patients outside the usual course of professional practice for no legitimate medical reason, so he could charge for office visits and tests. Prosecutors said he received more than $1.4 million from Medicare, Medicaid and Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan.
Shelton has not been able to prescribe controlled substances since January 2017 because of licensure actions, according to the release and state records.
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Shelton’s bond was modified Friday to $10,000 unsecured/personal bond with home incarceration and GPS monitoring. He may go to church with prior permission and must report for surrender Monday, according to court records.
He is to be sentenced July 20. Prosecutors said in their release that Shelton is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison, with a maximum sentence of life.
Contact Christina Hall: chall@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter: @challreporter.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Doctor convicted in overdose death, prescription drug offenses
