State authorities said a North Jersey doctor conspired with a drug dealer and others to illegally distribute thousands of painkillers by writing fraudulent prescriptions for people he never treated.
Eugene Evans Jr., of Roselle Park, was arrested Tuesday by federal agents in Canandaigua, New York, where he does work in a hospital. He's charged with conspiracy, distribution of a controlled dangerous substance and obtaining a controlled dangerous substance by fraud.
The 56-year-old Evans waived extradition from New York. His bail was set at $50,000, and he faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted on all counts.
Authorities said Evans wrote false prescriptions for more than 20,000 high-dose oxycodone pills. He allegedly provided the prescriptions to a Marlboro man who authorities said supplied Evans with the purported patients' names and birthdays.
There was no legitimate medical purpose for the prescriptions, authorities said.
It wasn't known Wednesday if Evans has retained an attorney.
"When corrupt health care professionals cash in on the black market for opiate pain pills by fraudulently prescribing and diverting oxycodone, they are every bit as culpable as the street dealers, gangsters and cartel members who similarly profit from the deadly epidemic of prescription opiate and heroin addiction in New Jersey,'' acting state Attorney General John Hoffman said.
