UPDATED: Port Huron doctor, physician's assistant sentenced on prescription charges

Editor's note: This story has been updated after Dr. Charbal Bazo spoke to the Times Herald Thursday evening.

Two medical providers who prescribed millions of dollars in drugs were sentenced to probation Wednesday.

Dr. Charbal Bazo and his physician's assistant, Frank Pilato, both pleaded no contest to multiple felonies and were each sentenced to two years of probation.

A no contest plea is not a guilty plea but is treated as one at sentencing.

Bazo and Pilato were both charged in January 2022 after an investigation by Michigan State Police into their frequent prescription of controlled medications.

St. Clair County Senior Assistant Prosecutor Joshua Sparling said Bazo and Pilato gave out prescriptions unnecessarily to patients who were more interested in using the medications to get high or resale. During Bazo's sentencing, Sparling said he alone gave out 38 prescriptions a day before being charged.

Bazo denied that many prescriptions were given out daily.

Both men were charged with conducting a criminal enterprise, conspiring to run a criminal enterprise, and multiple charges of delivery of a controlled substance.

The criminal conspiracy charges against Pilato were dropped in exchange for his no contest plea to three counts of delivery of a controlled substance.

"I accept responsibility for my actions," Pilato said. He also apologized to the patients he would not be able to help after the sentencing.

Pilato's physician's assistant and controlled substance licenses both lapsed on Oct. 3, according to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.

Bazo still has his license and his Port Huron practice is still open for business, but Sparling said his office informed the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs of Bazo's conviction on Dec. 7, and he is likely to face an investigation regarding his medical license.

A receptionist at Bazo's office declined to comment earlier Thursday.

Bazo's no contest plea included both criminal enterprise charges and three counts of possession of a controlled substance.

Kevin Bessant, Bazo's attorney, said at sentencing his client was remorseful about the situation and will be focused on rebuilding his reputation after the sentencing. Bessant asked Circuit Court Judge Cynthia Lane to consider one year of probation instead of two, but Sparling protested, saying Bazo was the "principle actor" in the conspiracy.

According to Sparling, Bazo's office became notorious for easily giving out drug prescriptions, and drew customers from as far away as Lansing and Chicago. He said doctors such as Bazo helped contribute to the opioid crisis in the United States.

Bazo said only a small portion of the case was about narcotics and said he as unaware of any patients traveling from Chicago to his office.

He also said Sparling had not previously been handling the case and alleged he was not familiar with all the details.

Sparling stood by his comments in court when reached Thursday evening, saying they were based on the presentence investigation report, which both attorneys agreed was factual before sentencing.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, an estimated 16,706 people in the United States died in 2021 from overdoses involving prescription opioids.

Contact Johnathan Hogan at jhogan@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Port Huron doctor sentenced opioid drug prescriptions