Louisiana Physician and LPN Indicted and Charged with Illegally Obtaining and Distributing Controlled Substances

Louisiana - On October 26, 2022, a federal grand jury in Shreveport, Louisiana indicted Dr. Jeffrey L. Evans, Jr., 65, of Mansfield, Louisiana, and Debra E. Craig, 66, of Converse, Louisiana, for illegally obtaining and distributing controlled substances, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown.

Evans was a physician licensed to practice medicine in the state of Louisiana with an office in Mansfield, and Craig was an LPN assigned to work with Evans in the medical clinic. The indictment alleges that between January 2, 2014, and March 9, 2022, Evans and Craig conspired together and with others to obtain hydrocodone and Adderall, both Schedule II restricted medications, through deception.

According to the indictment, Evans would write prescriptions for Schedule II controlled narcotics for an unnamed person known as "Individual 1" and his co-defendant and LPN, Craig. Hydrocodone-acetaminophen tablets, hydrocodone-homatropine syrup, and Adderall were among the controlled substances administered. Individual 1 would fill the prescriptions at a pharmacy in the Mansfield, Louisiana area and then give the Adderall to Evans, who would split the controlled substance containing hydrocodone with Individual 1.

According to the indictment, Craig would fill the prescriptions at a drugstore in the Mansfield, Louisiana region under the name "Debbie Craig." Evans would provide Craig funds to pay the pharmacy for the Schedule II controlled substances, and Craig would give Evans the prescriptions after they were filled.

The indictment alleges that Evans obtained controlled substances through deception from December 2017 to August 2018. Evans and Craig are also charged with five charges of obtaining controlled substances by fraud between September 2020 and March 2022. Finally, the indictment alleges that between February 2018 and August 2018, Evans distributed controlled medications via prescriptions that were not authorized for a legitimate medical reason.

Evans faces up to 20 years in jail, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Craig faces up to four years in jail, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.

The US Drug Enforcement Administration is investigating the case, which is being prosecuted by Alexander C. Van Hook, Special Counsel to the United States Attorney.

An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.