Dentist Pleads Guilty to Exchanging Prescriptions for Sex
JAN 15— Washington, D.C. - The Washington Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), announced today that Dr. DeWitt Webster, Jr., age 74, of Hyattsville, Maryland pled guilty to two counts of an indictment in which he was charged with the unlawful distribution of Percocet.
As part of the plea agreement, Dr. Webster acknowledged that beginning in September, 2001 and continuing until his arrest in May, 2003, he wrote prescriptions for female patients for several controlled substances including Percocet, Oxycodone, Vicodin, Hydrocodone, and Alprazolam without a legitimate medical purpose. He further admitted that he conducted no physical examination or dental treatment, maintained no patient file or record, and solicited sexual favors in return for the unlawful prescriptions. He was arrested in May, 2003 after an undercover Maryland State policewoman, posing as a Percocet addict, received prescriptions for Percocet on two occasions.
As part of the plea agreement, Dr. Webster agreed to surrender any license he may hold to practice dentistry or to write prescriptions. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment and a potential fine of $1,000,000. Dr. Webster is scheduled to be sentenced on March 25, 2004 at 12:45 pm.
DEA Washington Field Division Special Agent in Charge Laura M. Nagel stated that "any medical practitioner who violates their medical oath in such a manner is a criminal and should be investigated and prosecuted accordingly. The success of this investigation was a result of the cooperative efforts between the Maryland State Police, U.S. Attorney's Office and the DEA". The case was investigated by the Maryland State Police, and the Diversion Unit of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Washington Field Division.
