NJ Doctor Busted For Writing Illegal Oxycodone Prescriptions
NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Authorities in New Jersey arrested an internal medicine specialist Thursday accused of illegally writing prescriptions for oxycodone.
The alleged ring is believed to have originated with 56-year-old Dr. Michael Durante, of Montclair, who authorities said wrote prescriptions for a dozen distributors, including an undercover agent.
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1010 WINS' Al Jones with details from the Newark news conference
At a news conference, DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge John McCabe said Durante told the undercover agent he would need to "go to several pharmacies to fill your prescriptions."
Officials said the ring may have taken in over $300,000 a month. U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman said Durante prescribed over 1,000 pills to one distributor in just 10 days.
One of the alleged distributors is retired Newark police officer Lawrence Gebo.
"It's totally disgusting to me. This guy, 27 years putting bad guys behind bars and he basically goes out and violates the law and distributes drugs," McCabe said.
The eleven alleged distributors were also named in the federal criminal complaint.