Jefferson County Doctor, Staffers Accused of Conspiracy, Health Care Fraud
Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Https

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

  • Who We Are
    • About
    • Mission
    • History
    • Divisions
      • Domestic Divisions
      • Foreign Divisions
      • Operational Divisions
    • DEA Museum
    • Wall of Honor
    • Contact Us
      • Submit a Tip
      • Extortion Scam
      • Public Affairs
      • Social Media Directory
  • What We Do
    • Forensic Sciences
      • GUARDS
      • Forensic Sciences Policy
      • Forensic Science Organizations
      • Forensic Science Contact
    • Law Enforcement
      • DEA Office of Training
        • Office of Training Programs
      • El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC)
      • Intelligence
      • Operations
        • Administrative Law Judges
        • DEA Asset Forfeiture
        • Domestic Cannabis Suppression / Eradication Program
        • HIDTA
        • OCDETF
    • Education and Prevention
      • Family Summit
      • Red Ribbon
      • Kiki and the History of Red Ribbon Week
      • Red Ribbon Toolkit - Resources For Your Community
      • DEA’s Family Summit
      • Operation Engage
      • Community Outreach
      • Just Think Twice
      • Campus Drug Prevention
      • Get Smart About Drugs
      • Operation Prevention
    • Drug Information
      • Drug Policy
      • Drug Scheduling
      • The Controlled Substances Act
    • News
      • Alerts
      • Press Releases
      • Most Wanted Fugitives
        • All Fugitives
      • Stories
      • Events
      • Speeches
      • Testimony
    • Campaigns
      • One Pill Can Kill
        • Senior Citizens
        • Partner Toolbox
        • Social Media Campaign
      • DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
  • Careers
    • Special Agent
      • Special Agent FAQs
    • Diversion Investigator
      • Diversion Investigator Job Announcement
    • Intelligence Research Specialist
      • Intelligence Research Specialist Job Announcements
      • Intelligence Research Specialists FAQs
      • Schedule A Hiring Authority: Intelligence Research Specialist
    • Forensic Sciences Careers
    • Professional & Administrative Careers
    • Student & Entry Level Careers
    • Employment Eligibility
    • How to Apply
      • How To Claim Veterans' Preference
      • Priority Consideration
      • Benefits
      • Veterans and People With Disabilities
      • Operation Warfighter
  • Resources
    • Illegal Online Pharmacies
    • OD Justice
    • Fentanyl Supply Chain
    • Pill Press Resources
    • Recovery Resources
    • Together for Families
    • Data and Statistics
      • Domestic Arrests
      • Staffing and Budget
    • FOIA
      • About FOIA
      • Contact DEA FOIA
      • Make a Request
      • What Happens After Making a Request
      • Requester Categories
      • Fees Charged
      • Fee Waiver
      • FOIA FAQ
      • FOIA Logs and Reports
      • FOIA Library
      • Additional FOIA Links
      • FOIA Exemptions
      • What Are Exclusions?
      • Privacy Act
      • Privacy Act Exemptions
      • Privacy Impact Assessment and Management Information Systems
    • Publications
    • Media Galleries
    • Victim Witness Assistance Program
      • Victim Witness Assistance Program Resources
      • Human Trafficking Prevention

United States Drug Enforcement Administration

  • Get Updates
  • Scam Alert
  • Full Menu
  • English
  • Español

Main Menu

Explore DEA
  • Who We Are
    • About
    • Mission
    • History
    • Divisions
    • DEA Museum
    • Wall of Honor
    • Contact Us
  • What We Do
    • Forensic Sciences
    • Law Enforcement
    • Education and Prevention
    • Drug Information
    • News
    • Campaigns
  • Careers
    • Special Agent
    • Diversion Investigator
    • Intelligence Research Specialist
    • Forensic Sciences Careers
    • Professional & Administrative Careers
    • Student & Entry Level Careers
    • Employment Eligibility
    • How to Apply
  • Resources
    • Illegal Online Pharmacies
    • OD Justice
    • Fentanyl Supply Chain
    • Pill Press Resources
    • Recovery Resources
    • Together for Families
    • Data and Statistics
    • FOIA
    • Publications
    • Media Galleries
    • Victim Witness Assistance Program
  • Submit A Tip

Breadcrumb

  • Home
  • Jefferson County Doctor, Staffers Accused of Conspiracy, Health Care Fraud

Jefferson County Doctor, Staffers Accused of Conspiracy, Health Care Fraud

July 08, 2024
|
Share Article
|
Download Press Release
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Phone Number: (571) 362-5149

ST. LOUIS – A doctor with an office in St. Louis and two employees have been indicted in U.S. District Court and accused of illegally prescribing controlled substances and health care fraud.

Dr. David A. Parks, 66, James M. Bilderback, 58, both of Jefferson County, Missouri, and Michelle J. Scheer, 43, of St. Louis, were each indicted on a charge of conspiracy to illegally prescribe controlled substances and five counts of illegal prescribing of a controlled substance. Parks and Bilderback were also indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, eight additional counts of illegal prescribing of a controlled substance and 15 counts of making false statements related to health care matters.

The indictment alleges that from at least July 6, 2016, through Dec. 31, 2021, the three conspired to knowingly and intentionally prescribe controlled substances outside of the usual course of professional practice and for no legitimate medical purpose. The conspiracy’s goal was to maximize their patient population and, in turn, their profit, the indictment says. Parks and Bilderback, the indictment alleges, also conspired to defraud Medicare, Missouri Medicaid and private health insurers by billing them for claims for services that falsely and fraudulently identified Parks as the provider, including at times when Parks was out of the country.

Parks ran David A. Parks, M.D., P.C., at 3960 Lindell Boulevard in St. Louis, and Bilderback was the clinical manager and clinical research coordinator and later married Parks, the indictment says. Scheer worked at the front desk.

Many patients regularly received Schedule II controlled substance prescriptions, including hydrocodone, oxycodone, and dextroamphetamine-amphetamine salts, the indictment says.

Parks was rarely present at the clinic, typically coming in one or two days per week for a few hours at a time, the indictment says. The staff used pre-signed prescriptions so patients could obtain controlled substances without being evaluated or having their medical records reviewed and while Parks was out of the office or on domestic or international trips, the indictment says. Bilderback or another staffer would sometimes forge Parks’ signature, it says.

After prescriptions began being processed electronically in the spring of 2019, Parks and Bilderback gave the cell phone used to approve prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances to staffers with no prescribing authority, the indictment says. Scheer used the cell phone and made unilateral prescribing decisions about prescriptions, including by changing the dosages, quantities, and types of controlled substances, it says.

All three authorized prescriptions for controlled substances that, in combination, increased the addictive, euphoric effects of the drugs, as well as the potential for overdoses and other adverse events, the indictment says. Parks and Bilderback instructed staff to not drug-test patients, thereby intentionally avoiding the detection of signs of drug abuse and diversion and all three gave “special treatment” to friends and family of Parks and Bilderback by issuing prescriptions for controlled substances whenever desired and without any requirement to see a provider, the indictment says.

Parks and Bilderback billed for services at a higher rate - as if Parks had performed them - even though a nurse practitioner or sometimes Bilderback performed them, the indictment alleges.  Parks also failed to properly supervise nurse practitioners; he failed to review a minimum of 10% of the charts documenting the nurse practitioner’s activities and failed to stay within 75 miles by road of them while they were seeing patients, the indictment alleges.

“Medical professionals have a duty to ensure that their patients’ health and safety are their primary concern,” said Diversion Program Manager Kim Daniels, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s lead for the Diversion Program in Missouri, Kansas and southern Illinois. “When they abdicate this responsibility, they put lives at stake. Diverting medications for illegitimate purposes will get DEA’s attention and we’ll be relentless in pursuing medical staff to ensure the practice ends.”

Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The DEA investigated this case with the FBI, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Missouri Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.

Download Press Release
###
US Department of Justice - Drug Enforcement Administration

Drug Enforcement Administration

Michael A. Davis Special Agent in Charge - St. Louis
@DEAStLouisDiv
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Email

SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Locator

  • Who We Are
    • About
    • Domestic Divisions
    • Foreign Offices
    • Contact Us
    • DEA Museum
  • What We Do
    • Forensic Sciences
    • Law Enforcement
    • Drug Prevention
    • Diversion Control Division
    • News
  • Careers
    • Special Agent
    • Diversion Investigator
    • Forensic Sciences
    • Intelligence Research Specialist
    • How to Apply
  • Resources
    • Drug Information
    • Employee Assistance Program
    • FOIA
    • Publications
    • Media Galleries
    • VWAP
  • Doing Business
    with the DEA
    • Overview
    • Current Vendors
    • Prospective Vendors
    • Security Clauses
    • Security Forms
    • Small Business Program
    • Vendor Engagement Request
  • Policies
    • Accessibility & Policy
    • Legal Policies & Disclaimers
    • No FEAR Act
    • Privacy Policy
    • U.S. Department of Justice EEO Policy
    • USA.gov
    • Whistleblower Protection
    • Your Rights as a Federal Employee

United States Drug Enforcement Administration

DEA.gov is an official site of the U.S. Department of Justice
Facebook X LinkedIn Instagram

DEA Contact Center

(202) 307-1000 info@dea.gov
Contact the Webmaster