Kentucky Physician Charged With Prescribing Pain Meds That Resulted In The Death Of Five Of His Patients
Jaime Guerrero also charged with Health Care Fraud and Unlawful Distribution or Dispensing of Controlled Substances
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A Kentucky physician was charged today by a federal grand jury with prescribing pain medications that resulted in the deaths of five patients. He was also charged with health care fraud and unlawful distribution or dispensing of controlled substances. The charges were jointly announced by Acting U.S. Attorney John E. Kuhn Jr., and Joseph P. Reagan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’(DEA) Detroit Field Division, which covers Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky.
Jaime Guerrero, age 47, a medical physician with offices in Louisville, Kentucky, and Jeffersonville, Indiana, was charged in a 32 count indictment today with unlawfully dispensing pain medications to 30 patients, without a legitimate medical purpose and beyond the bounds of professional medical practice. Beginning in December, 2009, and continuing through May 2014, Guerrero allegedly prescribed pain medications that resulted in the deaths of five patients.
The indictment charges:
- Guerrero with dispensing oxycodone, a schedule II controlled substance, to “K.J.,” between June 6, 2011, through August 25, 2011, without a legitimate medical purpose and beyond the bounds of professional medical practice, which resulted in K.J.’s death on or about August 29, 2011.
- Guerrero intentionally distributed and dispensed, methadone, a schedule II controlled substance, to “D.N.,” between December 15, 2009, through April 1, 2010, without a legitimate medical purpose and beyond the bounds of professional medical practice, which resulted in D.N.’s death on or about April 5, 2011.
- Guerrero knowingly and intentionally distributed and dispensed, oxycodone, to “R.S.,” between December 10, 2009, through February 9, 2010, without a legitimate medical purpose and beyond the bounds of professional medical practice, which resulted in R.S.’s death on or about February 18, 2010.
- Guerrero dispensed oxycodone, to “P.F.” from December 28, 2009, and continuing through February 20, 2012, without a legitimate medical purpose and beyond the bounds of professional medical practice, which resulted in P.F.’s death on or about March 3, 2012.
- Guerrero knowingly and intentionally distributed and dispensed, hydrocodone, a schedule III controlled substance, to “S.O.,” between January 6, 2010, and continuing through September 16, 2011, without a legitimate medical purpose and beyond the bounds of professional medical practice, which resulted in S.O.’s death on or about September 24, 2011.
Guerrero is further charged with two counts of health care fraud for allegedly fraudulently billing various health care benefit programs and for submitting fraudulent claims for patient health care counseling. Specifically, on May 26, 2011, June 15, 2011, and June 22, 2011, Guerrero allegedly saw more than 100 patients on each of the dates, by himself, and spent approximately three minutes or less with each patient, and fraudulently billed numerous health care benefit programs, for office visits at a higher code than the service provided. It is alleged that Guerrero also directed a staff member, who was not a licensed counselor, to provide drug education classes to patients, and falsely and fraudulently, bill various health care benefit programs, by submitting claims for 15-30 minute counseling sessions while the defendant was out of the office.
If convicted at trial, Guerrero faces up to life in prison, a $2,750,000 fine and a three year period of supervised release.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph Ansari and Lettricea Jefferson-Webb and is being investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement (DEA). Also assisting in the investigation is the Indiana and Kentucky Medicare Fraud Control Units, the Kentucky State (KSP), Louisville Metro Police (LMPD), Federal Bureau of (FBI), and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector (HHS-OIG).
