Ulster County Dentist Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Acquiring and Obtaining Oxycodone
ALBANY, N.Y. – Vivian Letizia, age 63, of Stone Ridge, New York, pled guilty today to acquiring and obtaining a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, or subterfuge. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Timothy Foley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division.
In pleading guilty, Letizia admitted that, on December 16, 2019, she fraudulently submitted a prescription for oxycodone for one of her dentistry patients using that patient’s name and date of birth. Letizia then obtained that oxycodone from a pharmacy in Woodstock, New York, for her own consumption. At the time Letizia submitted the prescription to the pharmacy, she knew that she was not treating this patient and that she intended to personally consume the oxycodone.
At sentencing on August 25, 2022, Letizia faces up to 4 years in prison, a supervised release term of up to 1 year, and a maximum fine of $250,000. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
By pleading guilty, Letizia also agreed to surrender her New York State medical license. She also agreed that she would be prohibited from re-applying for a DEA registration number that would allow her to write prescriptions authorizing the dispensation of controlled substances for legitimate medical purposes.
This case was investigated by the DEA Albany District Office’s Tactical Diversion Squad, and the New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashlyn Miranda.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Moran, of the Civil Division, also assisted in the investigation.
