Feds: Riverhead physician assistant distributed thousands of pills in narcotics ring
A physician assistant at East End Urgent and Primary Care in Riverhead was arrested by federal authorities Wednesday morning for illegally distributing thousands of prescription narcotic drug pills, according to a release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
According to federal prosecutors, 37-year-old Michael Troyan of Riverhead allegedly wrote prescriptions for “thousands of oxycodone pills to co-conspirators for the purpose of illegally re-selling the pills for cash” between Nov. 2011 and Oct. 2015.
Mr. Troyan was captured writing fake prescriptions and receiving large amounts of cash on undercover video surveillance, according to District Attorney Robert Capers. Mr. Troyan allegedly received “large quantities of cash at his Riverhead medical office for prior illegal sales,” keeping half of the profit for himself.
“Troyan abused his authority to prescribe controlled substances and his position of trust as a physician assistant to illegally sell oxycodone in exchange for cash,” Mr. Capers said in a statement. “Such abuse by health care professionals will not be tolerated.”
Officers with the DEA’s Long Island Tactical Diversion Squad raided East End Urgent and Primary Care Wednesday morning. They were assisted by the Department of Health & Human Services, Southampton Town Police Department and Suffolk County District Attorney’s East End Drug Task Force.
A phone recording at East End Urgent & Primary Care said the office was closed Wednesday afternoon.
Mr. Troyan is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon in Central Islip before United States Magistrate Judge Gary R. Brown. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a $1 million fine, the Attorney’s Office said.
According to a bio on his company’s website, Mr. Troyan is a registered radiologic technologist and has been employed in “various, multidisciplinary medical settings since 2002.” He is also a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, New York State Society of Physician Assistants and American Registry of Radiologic Technologists and received his Bachelor of Science from Touro College in Bayshore.
In 2013 he opened North Fork Bacon & Smokehouse in Wading River with his friend Patrick Gaeta. On Wednesday, Mr. Gaeta said Mr. Troyan and he split ways earlier this year.
