Radiologist imprisoned for opioid scheme may get early release due to pandemic
A former Pennsylvania professor and radiologist, imprisoned for writing illegal opioid prescriptions for both himself and another pill-addicted rad, may get an early release because of the pandemic.
Omar Almusa was convicted of the scheme in 2018 and sentenced to two years in prison. The former UPMC doc has been pushing for an early release, but U.S. District Judge Arthur Schwab denied that request last week, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Friday. However, Schwab has granted a motion recommending that officials factor in Almusa’s time spent in drug treatment when calculating time served. If honored, the former doc will have completed half his sentence as of next month.
In making their case Almusa, and his attorney note that the former doc has Crohn’s disease. Authorities have deemed his condition not “extraordinary and compelling” enough to warrant release. But they are compelled by Almusa having a secure home to possibly serve the remainder of his term, and low risk that he might repeat his crimes.
Almusa and fellow radiologist Marios Papachristou’s original scheme involved writing Vicodin prescriptions to the latter’s wife, and then splitting the pills among themselves. Papachristou returned the favor by writing scripts to Almusa’s relatives or friends, who then shared the drugs. All told, the scheme lasted for about two years.
Read more in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette below:
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.