Poland doctor gets probation

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A Poland doctor indicted in May and accused of lying to obtain prescription drugs pleaded no contest Thursday and was sentenced to six months’ probation.

Dr. Pradeep Mathur, of Via Siena, Poland, previously pleaded not guilty to felony counts of deception to obtain a dangerous drug, violation of drug database laws and illegal processing of drug documents in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

County prosecutors amended the charges to “attempted” offenses, which lessened them to misdemeanors, court officials said.

Assistant county Prosecutor Stephen Maszczak could not be reached to comment Thursday on the amended charges.

County Judge Anthony D’Apolito found Mathur guilty and sentenced him to probation. Mathur also must pay a total $3,000 fine, $1,000 for each count, within 90 days.

Mathur thanked Judge D’Apolito after court proceedings.

Mathur’s May 9 indictment alleged he was involved in illicit prescription activity from June 2015 to May 2018.

The Ohio Medical Board reprimanded Mathur in January after he admitted supplementing a family member’s dosage of a stimulant used to treat daytime sleepiness and narcolepsy in 2016 and 2017. That dosage was set by another practitioner, according to board records.

Mathur told the board he felt the dosage was “too low, based on his personal observations of the effects,” and the relative’s health insurance would not cover an increased dosage.

His medical license remains active, according to medical board records. It was first issued in 1990.