Prosecutors on Troyan case: 60,000 pills; 20 co-conspirators; $1.8 million in street sales
The investigation into Riverhead physician assistant Michael Troyan began following a complaint from a surgeon that one of his patients re-opened stitches with a pencil following a tonsillectomy because the patient was so desperate for pain pills he became addicted to while being treated by Mr. Troyan, according to documents filed in federal court Wednesday.
Prosecutors said the investigation uncovered that Mr. Troyan, who they described as the ringleader of the scheme, worked with approximately 20 others to whom he prescribed more than 60,000 oxycodone pills they resold on the streets before splitting cash profits with him.
It is estimated the prescription-pill ring netted more than $1.8 million over a period of four years, assistant U.S. Attorney Allen Bode wrote in a letter to Magistrate Judge Gary Brown of the Eastern District of New York.
The investigation included undercover audio and video recordings taken during the past two months that show Mr. Troyan discussing the illegal sale of oxycodone pills with a co-conspirator, prosecutors said. Those recordings were allegedly taken at East End Urgent and Primary Care on East Main Street in Riverhead.
The agents also said they seized text messages sent by Mr. Troyan, 37, to his co-conspirators discussing payment for the illegal prescriptions, and early last month he sought an assault rifle as payment.
Prosecutors say Mr. Troyan (pictured at left) is the “de facto owner” of both East End Urgent and Primary Care offices – the other is in Wading River — and he “employed doctors at the clinics so he would have the authority to legally prescribe controlled substances as a physician assistant.” The investigation also revealed that Mr. Troyan is believed to have abused “pharmaceutical controlled substances” himself, prosecutors said.
“Troyan presents an unacceptable danger to the community,” Mr. Bode wrote, arguing that Mr. Troyan should be held without bail. “That he was willing to use his medical license and prescription authority for years to brazenly push a dangerous drug such as oxycodone for cash shows the risk he poses.”
Mr. Bode argued that “the government’s case here is extremely strong.”
Mr. Troyan’s attorney, Richard Haley of Islandia, declined to comment on the case.
“Just as a matter of the way I practice, I prefer to try my cases in the courtroom,” he said.
Mr. Troyan was arraigned Wednesday on one count of conspiracy to distribute Oxycodone, one count of attempted distribution of a controlled substance and a third count of distribution of a controlled substance, according to the indictment. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a $1 million fine, however prosecutors are currently negotiating a plea deal with Mr. Troyan, according to documents filed Wednesday.
Mr. Troyan is a registered radiologic technologist and, according to a bio on his company’s website, 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 Bay Shore.
Caption: The East End Urgent and Primary Care building on East Main Street in Riverhead.
