Tazewell Dentist Pleads Guilty to Illegal Distribution of Hydrocodone

Doctor Peter M. Francisco, 57, a Tazewell, Virginia, dentist, pleaded guilty today to three counts of illegal distribution of hydrocodone. Francisco appeared today in United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Abingdon.

According to the Department of Justice, Francisco wrote illegal prescriptions for more than 10,000 pills of
Zydone from 2000 through 2009. Zydone’s active ingredient is hydrocodone. Officials say Francisco issued the prescriptions to three different people who filled the prescriptions and then returned the pills to Francisco for his own use.

Today in District Court, Francisco admitted to being addicted to hydrocodone. As part of his plea agreement, Francisco agreed to surrender to the Drug Enforcement Administration his privileges to prescribe controlled substances and agreed to make restitution to the insurance companies and government agencies who paid for the fraudulently issued prescriptions.

Sentencing has been scheduled for February 23, 2010, at 11:00 a.m. in Abingdon before Senior United States District Judge Glen M. Williams. At sentencing, Francisco faces a statutory maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum fine of $750,000.

The investigation was led by the Virginia State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer is prosecuting the case for the United States.