Former Oregon Dentist Pleads Guilty in Federal Drug Case
Defendant also Faces Federal Charges for Fraudulently Obtaining Millions in COVID-19 Relief Funds
PORTLAND, Ore.—A former Clackamas, Oregon dentist pleaded guilty today to illegally distributing controlled substances, including prescription drugs, and anabolic steroids.
Salwan Wesam Adjaj, 43, a resident of West Linn, Oregon, waived indictment and pleaded guilty to a one-count information charging him with distributing and possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances.
According to court documents, beginning in at least March 2016 and continuing until August 2020, Adjaj knowingly and intentionally distributed and possessed with intent to distribute thousands of doses of drugs including Tramadol, anabolic steroids, injectable testosterone, Phendimetrazine, Diazepam, Alprazolam (Xanax), Lorazepam, Carisoprodol (Soma), Zolpidem, and Promethazine. Adjaj used his position as a dentist to obtain some of these drugs from a pharmaceutical manufacturer. None of the drugs distributed by Adjaj were for a legitimate medical purpose.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oregon Board of Dentistry.
On December 15, 2021, in a separate criminal case, Adjaj was charged with aggravated identity theft and wire fraud for fraudulently converting to his personal use nearly $8 million in loans intended to help small business during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Adjaj is in custody pending sentencing. In his drug case, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $500,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on October 11, 2022, by U.S. District Court Judge Michael W. Mosman.
As part of the plea agreement, Adjaj has agreed to abandon his ownership interest in any criminally-derived property, including, but not limited to, a 2017 Maserati Levanti.
U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement. The case is being prosecuted by Peter D. Sax, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
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