Freeport doctor indicted

[NotDeadYet]

Freeport Physician Arrested

Tuesday, Mar 18, 2008 - 04:34 PM

The following was released by the U.S. Department of Justice Tuesday:


U.S. Department of Justice
Gregory R. Miller
United States Attorney
Northern District of Florida
?
FREEPORT PHYSICIAN INDICTED, ARRESTED FOR HEALTH CARE FRAUD

Pensacola, Florida - TALLAHASSEE - Gregory R. Miller, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida; Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum; Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink; Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration - Miami Division; Nestor Duarte, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation - Jacksonville Division; Michael Walther, Director, National Drug Intelligence Center Document Exploitation Division; Christopher Anato, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigative Service; Gerald M. Bailey, Commissioner of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement; Ralph Johnson, Walton County Sheriff; and Ana M. Viamonte-Ros, State Surgeon General, Florida Department of Health, today announced that a Federal Grand Jury has returned an indictment charging a Freeport physician with health care fraud and unlawfully dispensing controlled substances.

Dr. Robert L. Ignasiak, Jr. was arrested this morning in Freeport by federal, state, and local agents on a federal warrant based on the charges of the indictment. Ignasiak will make his first appearance before a United States Magistrate Judge on the charges this afternoon in Pensacola.

In a 54 count indictment, the Federal Grand Jury in Pensacola charged Ignasiak, 52, with the following:

1. fourteen counts of health care fraud;

2. two counts of dispensing controlled substances, including fentanyl, hydrocodone, diazepam, chlonazepam, morphine, and alprazolam, the use of which resulted in the death of two persons; and

3. thirty-eight counts of unlawfully dispensing controlled substances including oxycodone (commonly known as OxyContin, Percocet, Percodan, Roxicodone, Endocet and Tylox); morphine (commonly known as Kadian, Avinza, and MS-Contin); fentanyl (commonly known as Duragesic); hydrocodone (commonly known as Lortab, Lorcet, Tussionex; alprazolam (commonly known as Xanax); diazepam (commonly known as Valium); clonazepam, (commonly known as Klonopin); and carisoprodol (commonly known as Soma).

The indictment alleges that Ignasiak, a licensed physician who owned and operated Freeport Medical Clinic, prescribed controlled substances to patients without determining a sufficient medical necessity for the prescription of these substances and in quantities and dosages that would cause patients to abuse and misuse the substances.

The indictment charges that Ignasiak prescribed controlled substances to patients knowing the patients were addicted to the substances, misusing the substances, or were "doctor shopping" and were requesting additional quantities of controlled substances for their drug habits. The indictment charges that the use of controlled substances dispensed by Ignasiak resulted in the death of two patients.

The indictment also alleges that Ignasiak issued prescriptions that were false and fraudulent because they were not based upon medical necessity and were issued outside the usual course of professional practice, and because Ignasiak lacked documentation in patient files justifying the prescriptions.

According to the indictment, Ignasiak caused pharmacies to file claims with Medicaid and other health care benefit programs for filling the false and fraudulent prescriptions he issued.

If convicted on Counts 28 and 48, the counts charging the distribution of fentanyl and morphine with deaths resulting from the use of those controlled substances, Ignasiak faces a mandatory minimum term of 20 years imprisonment, a possible life sentence, and a fine of $1 million per count.

The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of Ignasiak's property, including more than $1 million.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The indictment is the result of a four-year joint investigation by the North Florida Health Care Fraud Task Force, which is comprised of federal, state, and local law enforcement and regulatory members.

United States Attorney Miller commended the tireless efforts of the investigators involved in the case, and praised the continued cooperation of citizens who alerted investigators to Ignasiak's practices. "The protection of citizens in the community from licensed doctors, who dispense highly addictive controlled substances such as oxycodone outside the usual course of professional practice, is a priority," said United States Attorney Miller.

The North Florida Health Care Fraud Task Force will vigorously investigate and identify those medical practitioners who use their licenses to peddle controlled substances to abusers and addicts outside the course of standard medical practice.

"As the threat of illicit drugs continues to threaten Florida's citizens, our doctors should be helping curb this health issue, not feeding and encouraging it," said Attorney General Bill McCollum. "We will continue to investigate and prosecute anyone who perpetrates this criminal behavior, no matter who they are or what their profession is.

"Agencies across the state are working closely and cooperatively to stop abuses of prescription drugs in Florida," said FDLE Commissioner Gerald Bailey. "The consequences of misuse are often lethal, and we'll continue to aggressively investigate physicians who put others in harm's way."

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Heldmyer.

# # #

[Alicia Leonard]

Thanks, NDY for posting this info

[seagrovegirl]

Why am I not suprised???

[chrisv]

Why am I not suprised???

Wow, how tacky after such class in another thread...

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

[InletBchDweller]

Why am I not suprised???

Actually I am not suprised either....

[InletBchDweller]

Wow, how tacky after such class in another thread...

I think you are thinking about another poster???

[GoodWitch58]

I am not surprised either

[Smiling JOe]

So were the two deaths allegedly caused by overdoses?

[seagrovegirl]

ChrisV....I apologize for my post that upset you. Obviously Dr. Bob is someone close to you and you care about him very much, this has got to be hard for you. Again, I am sorry for hurting you. My only excuse for being "tacky" is that my father DIED 18 years ago April 27th - Dr. Bob being his Doctor. I have no part in the investigation. However, I have listened closely, as you can imagine, over the years....and I when the headline on Sowal appeared about a Freeport Doctor, guess who came to mind? That is why I was not suprised.

[kurt]

ChrisV....I apologize for my post that upset you. Obviously Dr. Bob is someone close to you and you care about him very much, this has got to be hard for you. Again, I am sorry for hurting you. My only excuse for being "tacky" is that my father DIED 18 years ago April 27th - Dr. Bob being his Doctor. I have no part in the investigation. However, I have listened closely, as you can imagine, over the years....and I when the headline on Sowal appeared about a Freeport Doctor, guess who came to mind? That is why I was not suprised.

I edited your thread. You don't want to make accusations without proof unless you are inviting a lawsuit.

[seagrovegirl]

Thanks, Kurt

[Teresa]

I've never been to him, but his rep does proceed him as the go to for drugs doc. one of my girlfriends ended up rehab after going to him for years for the right "pills". other girlfriends would recommend him as the doc to go to for certain prescriptions. for me, it means he's not the kind of doc I could trust with my health.

however, he's been around for a long time and has a lot of local patients who really know him and trust him to care for their health. I am sorry to hear he has let all of them down. or so it seems.

the extent of these charges is just shocking. I am very sad to hear about it.

[dwnelsonjr]

Freeport Doctor Indicted

WJHG Channel 7 reports on their website, a Federal Grand Jury has returned an indictment charging a Freeport physician, 52-year-old Dr. Robert L. Ignasiak, Jr., with health care fraud and unlawfully dispensing controlled substances. He was arrested Tuesday morning in Freeport by federal, state, and local agents on a federal warrant charging him with 54 indictment based charges.

Charges against Ignasiak by the Federal Grand Jury in Pensacola include: fourteen counts of health care fraud; two counts of dispensing controlled substances; and thirty-eight counts of unlawfully dispensing controlled substances including oxycodone, morphine; and Hydrocodone.

According to the report, the indictment alleges that Ignasiak, who owned and operated Freeport Medical Clinic, prescribed controlled substances to patients without determining a sufficient medical necessity for the prescription of these substances and in quantities and dosages that would cause patients to abuse and misuse the substances.

The indictment charges that Ignasiak prescribed controlled substances to patients knowing the patients were addicted to the substances, misusing the substances, or were "doctor shopping" and were requesting additional quantities of controlled substances for their drug habits. The indictment also charges that the use of controlled substances dispensed by Ignasiak resulted in the death of two patients.

The charges carry jail terms of 20 years imprisonment, a possible life sentence, and a fine of $1 million per count. The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of Ignasiak's property, including more than $1 million.

- As reported by WZEP AM 1460

[30A Skunkape]

Good rule of thumb-if the waiting room has the feel of a methadone clinic, look elsewhere for care.

[30ABandMan]

This just in...

http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/ign..._patients.html

[Romeosmydog]

There are no winners here. Sending this man to prison does not help those that suffer with addiction and does not bring back lost love ones. Sending him to prison for life does however take a loving father away from his children. God please be with the Ignasiak family as they go through this horrible situation. God please be with everyone involved in this.

[Teresa]

There are no winners here. Sending this man to prison does not help those that suffer with addiction and does not bring back lost love ones. Sending him to prison for life does however take a loving father away from his children. God please be with the Ignasiak family as they go through this horrible situation. God please be with everyone involved in this.

romeo - I know. it all sounds awful. the consequences are very hard on all who love him. this situation is sad.

[scooterbug44]

Sending him to prison may not help those already addicted or those who have been lost, but it DOES keep him from doling out more drugs and killing more people!

Obviously it is a sad situation for his family, but IMO once you are known outside the state as a drug source, contribute to deaths, and are indicted on 43 counts, your father's day celebration issues are pretty low on my sympathy list!

This wasn't a one time mistake that has ruined his life, it's years of behavior catching up with him.

[SHELLY]

Sending him to prison may not help those already addicted or those who have been lost, but it DOES keep him from doling out more drugs and killing more people!

Obviously it is a sad situation for his family, but IMO once you are known outside the state as a drug source, contribute to deaths, and are indicted on 43 counts, your father's day celebration issues are pretty low on my sympathy list!

This wasn't a one time mistake that has ruined his life, it's years of behavior catching up with him.

I agree. Moreover, it will probably make others stop and think before trying to do same thing.

.

[Jychf]

I agree that there should be some consequences here, it wasn't a one time mistake. That being said, I am a chronic pain sufferer and have been for years. I take pain medication on a regular basis but by no means abuse it or take it for the "high". It's gotten to the point now that when I go to my doc for refills, it's more like an interrogation than a consultation....like I'm a criminal for taking the meds...

[waltonco lover]

Sentencing was supposed to be today, anyone know the outcome?

[lms47]

I have been searching for the results all day, to no avail. Please post outcome as soon as someone gets some information. I am too aware of all the "talk". But, Dr. Ignasiak helped my husband become a 6 year survivor of Stage 4 head and neck cancer and for this; I will be eternally grateful. My prayers are for his family!

[Bobby J]

Dr. Bob got 24 years. The judge had recieved hundreds of letters from the community in support of Dr. Bob.

[waltonco lover]

24 years!!!

This is truly sad. My thoughts go out to his family in this terrible time.

[lms47]

This news is tragic! Totally ludicrous considering all the drug dealers walking the streets!

[avalon]

Hard to understand how the income from an office visit could be worth the risk! Do these docs believe that they are somehow untouchable? The pity is that people in pain can not get the drugs they need and are entitled to without the third degree.

[rajs4]

At this point the damage is done. Now it is time for the healing to begin. Regardless of who's side you may be on I believe that both sides need all the prayers and good wishes they can get. Put yourself in their shoes...

[scooterbug44]

This news is tragic! Totally ludicrous considering all the drug dealers walking the streets!

And now there is one less - this wasn't one isolated incident, it was years of providing DRUGS to people who didn't need them and causing deaths.

It sounds like Dr. Bob did a lot of good in his years of practicing medicine, but unfortunately that is now overshadowed by his illegal and immoral activities.

[lms47]

You are correct. The good is grossly overshadowed.