Former Veterans Affairs Doctor In Ohio Pleads Guilty To Illegally Prescribing Oxycodone
Contact: Public Information Officer
Number: (313) 234-4310
DAYTON, OHIO - Julia Immaculata Lucente, 55 of Dayton, Ohio, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to illegally prescribing oxycodone while she was a physician at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Dayton.
Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Gavin McClaren, Resident Agent in Charge, Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General Criminal Investigations (VA-OIG), James V. Allen, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement (DEA), and Jonathan Blanton, Interim Director, State Medical Board of Ohio announced the plea which was entered before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Newman.
According to court documents, Lucente began her employment as a medical doctor at the Veterans Administration Medical (VAMC) located in Dayton, Ohio in 2008. On November 6, 2012, during the course of her employment and while at the VAMC, Lucente issued a prescription to an individual on her VAMC prescription pad. The prescription was issued for 72 Oxycodone pills the individual requested. The individual was not a patient of Dr. Lucente’s nor was she a patient at the VAMC. Further, Lucente wrote the prescription without a documented proper medical examination which is contrary to established medical protocol thus making it invalid.
Lucente pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting another to knowingly and intentionally possess a controlled substance.
“Terms of the plea agreement call for Lucente to permanently surrender her Medical and DEA licenses,” U.S. Attorney Stewart said. “She also agreed not to reapply for a medical or DEA license in Ohio or any other state.”
Lucente will serve a period of probation to be determined by the court after the court conducts a pre-sentence investigation. No date has been set for sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Stewart commended the cooperative investigation by the VA OIG, the DEA Tactical Diversion Squad, and the State Medical Board of Ohio, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheila Lafferty, who is prosecuting the case.
