NORTH ARLINGTON, NJ – A North Arlington man who worked as an office manager for a medical practice in North Jersey has been charged by federal authorities for illegally pushing amphetamines to patients who did not medically require them.
A former office manager of a New Jersey medical practice has been charged with conspiring with its owner to distribute prescription amphetamine to patients without a legitimate medical reason, according to U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.
In a videoconference proceeding before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi, Noel DeLeon, 55, of North Arlington, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly and intentionally conspiring to distribute dextroamphetamine-amphetamine (branded Adderall), a Schedule II controlled substance, outside the usual course of medical practice.
For the period January 2018-March 2021, DeLeon was the office manager of a physician-owned medical practice in New Jersey. Insufficient patient medical records were maintained by the medical practice. The doctor did not perform any meaningful evaluation of patients, and patient interactions generally took less than five minutes. For some patients, the patient files contained only contact information and prescription information, without any meaningful assessment or evaluation. In the case of other patients, no patient files were maintained.
DeLeon or the doctor would typically collect a cash payment from a patient before prescribing medications, including high dosage amphetamines. In addition to sending text messages directly to DeLeon’s personal cell phone, patients could also contact him directly for prescription refills. DeLeon would order the prescription refill at the patient’s pharmacy and collect payment from the patient, typically through an electronic payment application on DeLeon’s personal cellular phone. It was sometimes possible for DeLeon to receive prescription refills faster by paying cash bribes to certain patients.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute amphetamines carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for June 22, 2023.
A former office manager of a New Jersey medical practice has been charged with conspiring with its owner to distribute prescription amphetamine to patients without a legitimate medical reason, according to U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.
In a videoconference proceeding before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi, Noel DeLeon, 55, of North Arlington, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly and intentionally conspiring to distribute dextroamphetamine-amphetamine (branded Adderall), a Schedule II controlled substance, outside the usual course of medical practice.
For the period January 2018-March 2021, DeLeon was the office manager of a physician-owned medical practice in New Jersey. Insufficient patient medical records were maintained by the medical practice. The doctor did not perform any meaningful evaluation of patients, and patient interactions generally took less than five minutes. For some patients, the patient files contained only contact information and prescription information, without any meaningful assessment or evaluation. In the case of other patients, no patient files were maintained.
DeLeon or the doctor would typically collect a cash payment from a patient before prescribing medications, including high dosage amphetamines. In addition to sending text messages directly to DeLeon’s personal cell phone, patients could also contact him directly for prescription refills. DeLeon would order the prescription refill at the patient’s pharmacy and collect payment from the patient, typically through an electronic payment application on DeLeon’s personal cellular phone. It was sometimes possible for DeLeon to receive prescription refills faster by paying cash bribes to certain patients.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute amphetamines carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for June 22, 2023.