Ohio physician Jeffrey Sutton, DO, was sentenced May 23 to six years in prison after he pleaded guilty to healthcare fraud and illegally prescribing and distributing opioids and other controlled substances, the Justice Department said.
From January 2015 through January 2022, Dr. Sutton, 65, fraudulently billed health care benefit programs for office visits and the medically unnecessary drugs he illegally prescribed and dispensed, the department said.
Dr. Sutton admitted to engaging in sexual acts with patients he'd prescribed controlled substances to, including during office visits, the department said. He admitted to delivering opioids to the home of one of his patients, outside the course of treatment and without a valid prescription.
He was in a relationship with the patient at the time, the department said.
In addition to the prison time, Dr. Sutton was sentenced to three years of supervised release, a $5,200 special assessment, a $20,000 fine and restitution of $148,870, the department said.