Utah Doctor Sentenced For Distributing Controlled Substance And Witness Tampering

SALT LAKE CITY - A Sandy, UT doctor pleaded guilty to attempted illegal distribution of a controlled substance, the Utah attorney general's office announced Monday.  Third District Judge Paul Parker sentenced Newhall to 24 months of probation and 150 hours of community service.

Stanley Clark Newhall, who is a licensed attorney in addition to being a licensed Utah physician for more than 30 years, reportedly issued numerous controlled substances to people who were not his patients or did not undergo adequate examinations. He also pleaded guilty to attempted witness tampering.

“Prescription drug abuse is at record levels” stated Barbra Roach, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Denver Field Division.  “Those who would facilitate this and profit from it, especially those individuals in positions of trust and responsibility in our communities, must and will be held accountable.”

"We appropriately grant a tremendous amount of trust to health care and legal professionals and the vast majority are dedicated community servants," Attorney General Sean Reyes said in a statement. "But a few blatantly violate their Hippocratic Oath - and we are serious about ensuring they do no more harm to Utah citizens."

"Upon learning of the DEA investigation, Newhall also attempted to induce at least one witness not to
cooperate with the DEA investigation, unaware that that person had already disclosed Newhall's conduct to the investigators and who in turn recorded conversation between Newhall and the witness," a statement from the attorney general's office reads.

As part of the guilty plea, Newhall surrendered his Drug Enforcement Administration registration for all states. Newhall relinquished his Utah state medical license in 2014 after an investigation by the Utah Department of Commerce's Division of Professional Licensing, but he continued to practice in Alabama, Michigan and Minnesota, in addition to other states, according to the AG's office.  Newhall also resigned from the Utah State Bar. He has been a licensed attorney in the state since 1995.