Roanoke, Virginia doctor Verna Mae Lewis, 70, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison, fined $10,000, and ordered to forfeit $500,000 after pleading guilty to distributing Schedule II controlled substances outside the bounds of medical practice. The charges stem from her illegal over-prescribing of high-dosage opioids—including morphine, oxycodone, and hydromorphone—to patients with no legitimate medical need.
U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh delivered the verdict with a blunt warning: “Ms. Lewis violated her patients’ trust by placing her own greed before their very real needs. This significant sentence sends a strong message that our office will continue to investigate and prosecute any in the health care system who seek to illegally profit from the opioid crisis.”
Court evidence revealed Lewis raked in over $523,000 through her prescription scheme. She routinely doled out identical opioid regimens month after month—often escalating dosages—without tapering, medical evaluation, or supporting diagnostic records. Her practices flagrantly violated standards set by the CDC, FDA, and the Virginia Board of Medicine.
Even more troubling, Lewis continued prescribing powerful narcotics to patients with documented histories of substance abuse, accidental overdoses, and prior dismissals from other clinics for testing positive for cocaine and other illicit drugs. No medical justification was ever established, and many appointments consisted of little to no actual examination.
As part of her guilty plea, Lewis agreed to permanently surrender all medical licenses and registrations, vowed never to seek reinstatement, and formally relinquished her right to practice medicine under any circumstances for the rest of her life.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, the Virginia State Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the Virginia State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin B. Johnson handled prosecution for the United States.
RELATED: Roanoke Doctor Verna Mae Lewis Jailed for Opioid Over-Prescribing
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Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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