Timothy F. Shawl, Unlawful Distribution of Controlled Substances, Pennsylvania 2020
Philadelphia, PA - A Pennsylvania man was sentenced to three years in prison for his unlawful distribution of controlled substances, resulting in the overdose death of at least one patient.
According to court documents, Timothy F. Shawl, M.D., 62, of Garnet Valley, wrote prescriptions for controlled substances totaling approximately 20,811 oxycodone pills for certain patients without seeing, treating, or examining them.
One patient overdosed and died on Jan. 7, 2019, just three days after Shawl last prescribed oxycodone for her despite not treating or examining her in at least five years. Shawl pleaded guilty to five counts of unlawful distribution of controlled substances on Jan. 21, 2020.
“By prescribing controlled substances to patients without any medical oversight, the defendant violated his professional and moral obligation to his patients,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Criminal Division. “The defendant’s conduct had devastating consequences including to at least one patient who suffered an overdose and death as a result of the defendant’s prescriptions.
“The defendant in today’s case neglected his sworn responsibility to do no harm and recklessly contributed to the nation’s opioid epidemic,” said Acting Assistant Director Jay Greenberg of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The human consequences in these cases are tragic, and the FBI is devoted to investigating doctors who prescribe controlled substances without legitimate medical reason to do so.
The FBI’s Philadelphia Division investigated the case, with assistance from Health Care Fraud Task Force officers from the Philadelphia Police Department and Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General.
Shawl will serve his three-year prison sentence, which is a result of his guilty plea to five counts of unlawful distribution of controlled substances. Trial Attorney Debra Jaroslawicz of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
The case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat the opioid epidemic and hold accountable those who enable it. The investigation into Timothy F. Shawl’s actions serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences of unlawful distribution of controlled substances.
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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