William Soyke, Conspiracy to Distribute and Dispense Oxycodone, Fentanyl, Methadone, and Alprazolam, Maryland 2023

Physician assistant William Soyke, age 68, of Hanover, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and dispense oxycodone, fentanyl, methadone, and alprazolam outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose.

The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; and Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon, Office of Investigations, Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services.

According to the plea agreement, Soyke was employed as a physician assistant with Drs. Rosen and Hoffberg from 2011 to 2018, where he treated patients during follow-up doctor appointments. As a physician assistant, Soyke had privileges to prescribe controlled substance medications but was required to operate under a delegation agreement between himself and the Rosen Hoffberg owners.

In his plea, Soyke admitted that he believed that Drs. Rosen and Hoffberg prescribed excessive levels of opioids. Despite Soyke’s attempts to lower patient’s prescription doses, both doctors overruled Soyke’s opinion. Further, if another health care provider within the practice declined to treat a patient due to the patient’s aberrant behavior (such as failing a drug screening test for illicit drugs or selling their prescriptions), Drs. Rosen and Hoffberg would assume that patient’s care.

Soyke also admitted that in several instances he engaged in sexual, physical contact with female patients who were attempting to get prescriptions. Specifically, Soyke asked some female customers to engage in a range of motion test, and while they were bending over, he would position himself behind them such that his genitalia would rub against the customers’ buttocks through their clothes. These patients often acceded to this sexual abuse for fear of not getting the medications to which they were addicted.

Defendant: William Soyke

Criminal Charges: Conspiracy to distribute and dispense oxycodone, fentanyl, methadone, and alprazolam

City and State: Baltimore, Maryland

Exact Date: Not specified

Sentence or Outcome: 37 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release

MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS

Drug Trafficking

Billy Ortega, Fentanyl Deaths, New York 2021

Apr 6, 2026

Drug Trafficking

Zachary Miller, Meth Trafficking, Pennsylvania 2020

Aug 14, 2020

Drug Trafficking

Daniel J. Fillerup, Fentanyl Sale, New York 2016

Apr 24, 2019

Drug Trafficking

Kyrron Haynes, Fentanyl Distribution, Missouri 2023

Mar 26, 2024