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TRENTON
- Attorney General Anne Milgram and Criminal
Justice Director Deborah L. Gramiccioni
announced that a doctor from Pennsylvania
who formerly had offices in Lawrence and
a Trenton man were indicted today for allegedly
conspiring to obtain the prescription painkiller
Percocet with false prescriptions.
According
to Director Gramiccioni, Dr. William C.
Kropinicki, 55, of Morrisville, Pa., whose
medical license has been revoked in New
Jersey, and Carl Hames, 44, of Trenton,
were charged in an eight-count state grand
jury indictment obtained by the Division
of Criminal Justice Gangs & Organized
Crime Bureau.
The
charges resulted from an investigation by
the Enforcement Bureau of the Division of
Consumer Affairs, the Bordentown City Police
Department, the Lawrence Township Police
Department and the Division of Criminal
Justice. The State Police also provided
assistance.
It
is alleged that Kropinicki wrote prescriptions
for Percocet in eight different names and
gave them to Hames, who filled them at a
pharmacy in Bordentown City. Hames allegedly
provided Kropinicki with names that he falsely
claimed were people living in a halfway
house after leaving prison who needed painkillers.
Kropinicki allegedly created medical records
that falsely indicated he examined the people
named in the prescriptions prior to writing
the prescriptions, when in fact he had not
conducted any examinations. Hames allegedly
paid Kropinicki $100 for each of the fictitious
patients. Hames allegedly intended to resell
the Percocet.
Hames
was arrested on Aug. 12, 2008, as he left
the pharmacy in Bordentown City. He allegedly
possessed eight bottles containing a total
of more than 800 Percocet pills dispensed
as a result of the fraudulent prescriptions
written by Kropinicki.
Kropinicki’s
New Jersey medical license was revoked by
the Board of Medical Examiners in a proceeding
brought by the Enforcement Bureau of the
Division of Consumer Affairs after his conduct
came to light.
Kropinicki
is charged with conspiracy (2nd degree),
dispensing a controlled dangerous substance,
Percocet (2nd degree), two counts of falsification
of records related to medical care (4th
degree), and obtaining a controlled dangerous
substance by fraud (3rd degree).
Hames
is charged with conspiracy (2nd degree),
dispensing a controlled dangerous substance,
Percocet (2nd degree), possession of Percocet
with intent to distribute (2nd degree),
possession of Percocet with intent to distribute
within 1,000 feet of a school (3rd degree),
falsification of records related to medical
care (4th degree), obtaining a controlled
dangerous substance by fraud (3rd degree),
and hindering apprehension or prosecution
(3rd degree).
The
hindering apprehension or prosecution charge
alleges that Hames gave police a false name
when he was arrested.
Second-degree
crimes carry a maximum sentence of 10 years
in state prison and a criminal fine of $150,000,
while third-degree crimes carry a maximum
sentence of five years in state prison and
a criminal fine of $15,000. Fourth-degree
crimes carry a maximum sentence of 18 months
in prison and a $10,000 fine.
An
arrest warrant has been issued for Kropinicki.
Hames was already being held in the Burlington
County jail in lieu of $50,000 bail.
The
indictment is merely an accusation and the
defendants are presumed innocent until proven
guilty. The indictment was handed up to
Judge Linda R. Feinberg in Superior Court
in Mercer County, where the case will be
heard.
The investigation was conducted and coordinated
by Detective Shawn Lafferty of the Bordentown
City Police Department; Detective Joseph
Lech IV of the Lawrence Township Police
Department; State Investigator Richard Lizzano
of the Enforcement Bureau of the Division
of Consumer Affairs; and Detective Richard
Nocella and Deputy Attorney General Russell
J. Curley of the Division of Criminal Justice
Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau. Deputy
Attorney General Curley presented the case
to the state grand jury. Deputy Attorney
General Jeri Warhaftig of the Division of
Law represented the state in the proceeding
before the Board of Medical Examiners.
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