A former local physician convicted of illegally issuing prescriptions for pain medication will spend the next two years in prison. It's less jail time than what federal prosecutors sought, but the U.S. Attorney expressed satisfaction that Pravin Mehta will no longer be a key contributor to Western New York's opioid addiction crisis.
Mehta, age 78, was found to issue thousands of illegal prescriptions for pain medication from his practice in Niagara Falls over a five-year period. He was one of 14 people charged following an investigation, which also determined that on four separate occasions he signed blank prescriptions and instructed his office manager to complete them. That manager, who was among the staff also charged, was not a trained medical provider.
Others convicted in the probe were individuals who resold the prescription pills on the street.
"There's no question in my mind that prescription pills are a gateway drug to heroin," said U.S. Attorney William Hochul. "Of course, as we read each and every day, heroin is killing more people here in Western New York than any other cause of death, including violent gunshots."
Mehta's two-year sentence is below the usual legal guideline of 57 to 71 months behind bars. Federal Judge William Skretny took Mehta's age and health under consideration when delivering his sentence. Hochul says prosecutors were hoping for a sentence more in line with the usual standard but he is satisfied Mehta will no longer be able to distribute highly-addictive drugs.
"It was just an absolute abuse of his power," Hochul said. "For that, he is now going to jail."
