DETROIT (WWJ) - A 48-year-old Dearborn doctor will spend four years in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to illegally distributing thousands of perception pills without medical reason, authorities said on Wednesday.
United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison said a judge handed down the sentence to Dr. Tete Oniango, 48, of Oakland, Michigan after he entered a guilty plea admitting he conspired with patient recruiters and others to distribute prescription opioid pills.
In direct violation to his medial and DEA licenses, Oniango illegally prescribed roughly 12,500 of the "powerful" Schedule II controlled substance without medical necessity, Ison said.
Hydrocodone is also prescribed under the brand names of Vicodin, Lortab, Lorcet, and Norco.
"The doctor would issue opioid prescriptions to patients who appeared at his Dearborn medical clinic without conducting any medical examinations or appropriate testing," court documents outlined.
As part of his sentence, the doctor was ordered to forfeit almost $37,000 in cash that was seized by authorities from Oniango's office.
The doctor further complicated matters when he attempted to flee to Mexico while on bond and pretrial release in 2021.
Officials said Oniango was stopped while on a bus by Mexican border agents and was handed over to U.S. authorities.
Ison said the doctor abused his station and oath as a physician and aided in the opioid drug crisis currently gripping Michigan.
"My office will zealously pursue medical providers who abuse their licenses and inflict harm upon our community," Ison said.
James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office, agreed with Ison, saying Oniango broke the trust and laws put in place to help prevent the diversion of prescription drugs.
“Not only did he break that trust, but he also attempted to flee the consequences of his criminal behavior,” said Tarasca. “The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate this type of criminal behavior and to ensuring those who operate outside the law face the consequence for that choice.”