Doctor Sentenced To Prison For Distributing Prescription Pills
HARRISON TOWNSHIP, Mich. - Jennifer Franklin was sentenced today to 33 months’ in federal prison for writing illegal prescriptions for pain killers, U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider announced.
Schneider was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Timothy Plancon, Drug Enforcement Administration and Special Agent in Charge Manny Muriel, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation.
Franklin, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge George Caram Steeh.
Dr. Franklin was employed at a clinic owned by Boris Zigmond in Oak Park, Michigan. Franklin admitted in court documents that the prescriptions she wrote were medically unnecessary. In a 16-month period, Dr. Frankin prescribed the following unnecessary controlled substances: approximately 3,500 dosage units of OxyCodone and 7,000 dosage units of Hydrocodone. In addition to Franklin, Boris Zigmond and seven other individuals have pleaded guilty for their participation in the scheme.
“This sentence should send a warning to doctors who are putting these drugs on the street: we will prosecute you and seek prison to deter you from contributing to this opioid epidemic,” stated United States Matthew Attorney Schneider.
DEA Special Agent in Charge Tim Plancon stated, “The medical field remains one of the most noble careers anyone can enter and we hold those in the medical profession to a higher standard. This is why the DEA, through regulation and enforcement, will continue to partner with other law enforcement agencies to identify, investigate, and prosecute licensed Physicians, like Dr. Franklin, who use their medical profession and position to conceal the unlawful diversion and distribution of prescription drugs.
Special Agent in Charge Manny Muriel stated, “The medically unnecessary prescribing of Oxycodone is a critical contributing factor to the opioid epidemic that is facing Michigan. IRS-CI and its partners will continue to work to identify those who look to gain financial reward from medically unnecessary prescriptions at the unfortunate expense of those who are sick and vulnerable to addiction.”
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wayne F. Pratt and Philip A. Ross.
