A doctor from Deer Park has been sentenced to serve time in prison for writing illegal prescriptions for Oxycontin.

The doctor from Long Island who was once a prominent oxycodone prescriber in New York State has been given a three-year jail term for dispensing the drug to patients who didn't require it.

Dr. Frank Parasmo, a former physician from Deer Park, was sentenced to three years in prison along with three years of supervised release by the US District Attorney's Eastern District of New York for unlawfully distributing prescriptions for oxycodone. This announcement was made on Thursday, May 25.

According to the trial, Parasmo, who was 76 years old, issued prescriptions for oxycodone and hydrocodone to 18 patients without any medical need or outside the scope of professional medical practice during the period between January 2014 and February 2015.

Parasmo often prescribed these pills to patients whom he either knew were consuming illicit substances or those whom he suspected to be struggling with addiction.

When oxycodone is combined with cocaine or heroin, there is a considerable danger of experiencing an overdose.

Patients who were discharged from the hospital after experiencing an overdose and those who had recently completed a rehabilitation program were also given pills by Parasmo.

According to the US District Attorney's Office, the physician persisted in issuing prescriptions despite being advised that certain patients were either abusing or selling the drugs illegally.

In a span of five years, Parasmo was among the leading prescribers in New York state, having prescribed more than 1.5 million pills of oxycodone and hydrocodone.

Parasmo had his prescription numbers reduced by half when he became aware that he was under investigation by the DEA.

U.S. Attorney Breon Peace stated that the current sentence illustrates that medical practitioners who act as drug traffickers will face substantial repercussions.

This department continues to exhibit steadfast dedication in utilizing every solution at our disposal to mitigate the harm wrought by the opioid epidemic in our communities.

The number of opioid-related deaths in New York State increased by 44 percent from the previous year, reaching 4,233 in 2020.

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