A former Brookfield pediatrician has been sentenced to 18 months for illegally distributing opiates for years
A former Brookfield pediatrician will serve 18 months in prison after being convicted of drug-related crimes last week.
The charges include conspiring to unlawfully distribute controlled substances and maintaining a premises for the purpose of unlawfully distributing controlled substances. Manuel Thomas will serve his sentence in federal prison, according to United States Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad of the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
Court records show that Thomas had previously pleaded guilty to both counts, and acknowledged that he had illegally distributed controlled substances, including powerful opiates, for years.
“Medical professionals who prescribe controlled substances not for a medical purpose but instead to line their own pockets violate both their oaths to do no harm and also federal law,” said Haanstad in a statement. “The United States Attorney’s Office remains committed to working with our federal, state, and local partners to hold those doctors who are fueling the opioid crisis accountable for their actions.”
During sentencing, prosecutors sought a term of imprisonment based on evidence that Thomas had provided opiates to patients he knew were already addicted to controlled substances, in exchange for cash and pills for his own personal use.
“The DEA will continue keeping Wisconsin families safe from the dangerous and illegal actions taken by medical practitioners,” said John G. McGarry, Assistant Special Agent in Charge for U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration-Wisconsin.
When Thomas does complete his 18-month prison sentence, he will also be made to spend three years on federal supervised release.
Thomas’ sentence comes just three months after the Waukesha County Health Department declared the spread of fentanyl a community health crisis. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine.
“Many people think they are taking a prescription medication, but they are taking fentanyl instead,” said Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow. “This deadly drug is appearing in every community across the United States, including here at home. Now, we are doubling down on our work to save lives.”
In 2020, drug overdoses killed a record 95 people in Waukesha County. Across the state in 2020, 1,277 Wisconsinites died from a drug overdose
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Former Brookfield pediatrician sentenced to prison on drug charges
