West Virginia Dentist James E. Kirkpatrick, III Sentenced to Prison for Drug Fraud

Going to prison for drugs isn’t limited to “so called” drug dealers. An Ohio man was just sentenced to prison for his role in obtaining drugs illegally.

JAMES E. KIRKPATRICK III, DDS, 44, who resides in Belpre, Ohio, was sentenced to eight months in prison for fraudulently obtaining hydrocodone. KIRKPATRICK previously pled guilty in January 2008, to a one-count information. DR. KIRKPATRICK’S office is in Parkersburg, WV. He began practicing in West Virginia after losing his Ohio dental license.

Information related to his Ohio license is here.

The conviction is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Washington County, Ohio, Major Crimes Task Force. The investigation revealed that at least three patients received prescriptions for controlled substances from KIRKPATRICK and then gave some or all of the drugs back to KIRKPATRICK for his personal use. Pharmacy records indicate the patients received multiple prescriptions for controlled substances from KIRKPATRICK in 2006 and 2007.

At sentencing, DR. KIRKPATRICK apologized to one of the patients from whom he attempted to fraudulently obtain hydrocodone following his January 2008 plea of guilty in Federal Court.

Every choice has a consequence. Often, as a speaker, I share that statement with my audiences. But, what is also true is – behavior changes only when the consequences become so significant that you want behavior to change. While losing his Ohio license may not have been directly related to the drug charge that sent Kirkpatrick to prison, certainly prison will be another consequence that will change his life.

Perhaps upon his release, Kirkpatrick can use the experience in a positive way to benefit others.

For now, business ethics and white collar crime speaker – Chuck Gallagher – signing off…