Doc charged with drug trafficking

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MARIETTA - A Marietta doctor suspected of writing hundreds of illegal prescriptions was arrested Tuesday after his home and office were raided by police.

Dr. Pedrito Galupo, 73, who lives at 501 Fifth St. and operated Harmar Village Medical Inc., 119 Maple St., is scheduled to be arraigned today in Marietta Municipal Court on a second-degree felony charge of trafficking in drugs.

After being questioned by members of the area's Major Crimes Task Force Tuesday, Galupo surrendered his license to practice medicine.

Galupo opened the cash-only office in Marietta in February. Within weeks, area pharmacists said they stopped honoring the doctor's prescriptions, which patients said were given for a $50 fee.

Police said during a seven-week investigation, nearly 500 patients were observed visiting the office. Several undercover officers also scheduled appointments and said they were able to get prescriptions for numerous Schedule II narcotics - including Percocet, Xanax, Oxycontin, Adderall and Ritalin - without being examined.

With marked police cars outside and the doctor still being interviewed inside, at least four patients attempted to visit the office. Each was interviewed by police and released.

"They all indicated the same thing our operatives did: They were able to get prescriptions without being examined," said Chief Washington County Deputy Larry Stephens.

At least one undercover officer was able to secure a prescription before an earlier one should have expired and after telling the doctor he had traded the drugs for something stronger, Stephens said.

"He just wrote another prescription," Stephens said. "If someone wanted a refill and they already had a prescription, he would just tell them to get it filled in another area."

Pharmacist Sylvia Miles, owner of Williamstown Pharmacy, said it was obvious Galupo was prescribing drugs with little or no restrictions. She reported her concerns to local police and medical boards several months ago.

"My concern was for our children," Miles said. "When you indiscriminately give out prescriptions for controlled substances like that, you can bet your bippie they are going to be sold. He might as well have been standing on a street corner across from a school."

Miles said dozens of individuals came to her pharmacy - some from as far away as Charleston, W.Va., - and always with three or four prescriptions for powerful narcotics.

"There were people carpooling. There would be five or six people with handfuls of prescriptions coming in," Miles said. "There's no way a reputable physician operates that way."

Tom Kelly, 28, of Williamstown was one of the individuals who attempted to meet with Galupo at his office Tuesday. Kelly said he injured his back mowing about four months ago. A friend recommended the doctor, Kelly said.

"I didn't have a doctor, and I heard he was a good doctor," Kelly said. "He seemed like a good doctor. When the first prescription I got made me sick, he met with me again and changed my prescription and got something that worked."

Kelly said the doctor examined him the first few visits, but said the last time he was there he was just asked if he was still sore. A positive response got another prescription.

Sheriff's Sgt. Pat Gherke said patient files are being copied and reviewed. In mid-March, agents with the Major Crimes Task Force performed a controlled buy of painkillers from an individual in Marietta. It was learned the drugs were prescribed by Galupo.

Stephens said Galupo closed for a week after the bust and even contacted police.

"He wanted to know what had happened, and we interviewed him at that time," Stephens said.

Detectives working the case said they wanted to shut down the operation earlier, but they needed to build a strong case against the doctor.

"We could have shut him down, but he could have just moved to somewhere else. We wanted to get his medical license to prevent this from happening anywhere else," Stephens said.

Detectives said Galupo also has an office in Bryan, in northeast Ohio, where agents with the Drug Enforcement Agency were expected to execute search warrants Tuesday.

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SHELIA
07-09-08 1:18 PM »Report Abuse	WOW! This is the reason doctors are skeptical when someone has real injuries or issues.

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