Painkilling doc facing federal prison

Painkilling doc facing federal prison

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A Pittsburgh-area physician is expected to receive a long federal prison term when he’s sentenced to charges that he overprescribed painkillers to dozens of patients.

McMurray physician Oliver Herndon pleaded guilty in May and is set for sentencing today.

As part of his plea agreement, he’s expected to receive 11 years and three months in federal prison, though a federal judge has yet to formally approve that deal.

Federal Drug Enforcement Agency agents raided his palliative care practice in upscale Peters Township earlier this year after 87 of 128 area pharmacies told investigators they were refusing to fill prescriptions from Herndon because they questioned whether the large-scale painkiller prescriptions were medically necessary.

According to court papers, Herndon will repay two insurance companies $700,000 for covering the unnecessary drugs.