February 06, 2012

• Steven Topazio wrote this April 27, 2014 at 2:14 pm

The client, a 33 year old mother of three and former medical secretary, was summonsed to court after receiving a complaint alleging she unlawfully obtained a controlled substance by uttering false prescriptions on over eighty different occasions to multiple pharmacies thereby obtaining over 16,000 oxycodone and oxycotin tablets. The client was first summonsed to the Newburyport District Court on multiple fraud counts, then to the Salem District Court. Attorney Topazio worked out a coordinated plea with both courts so as to minimize his client’s exposure and potential risk of receiving jail time. Attorney Topazio met with his client and learned that she took a prescription pad from the doctor she had worked for and wrote prescriptions to herself. Attorney Topazio learned that his client last abused prescription medication on February 4, 2010 after police came to her home and confronted her on their investigation. The client made statements to police admitting what she had done, and although fired from her employment, was not immediately arrested but given an opportunity to address her substance abuse problem. Attorney Topazio realized that the police cut his client a huge break by allowing her to voluntarily enter into a substance abuse detox facility instead of arresting her. Attorney Topazio took advantage of this opportunity and continued his client’s case while she dealt with her substance abuse problem. Attorney Topazio obtained medical documentation regarding his client’s inpatient and outpatient treatment for the prosecutor and the court. Attorney Topazio met with the prosecutor on the case and argued that despite the large volume of oxycodone and oxycotin tablets fraudulently obtained, that his client was an addict and did not sell the pills. Today, despite facing a state prison sentence of not more than four (4) years and a fine of $20,000 on each of fourteen criminal counts his client faced, Attorney Topazio was able to convince the prosecutor and the court to give his client a continuance without a finding, “CWOF” for two years on all counts provided she remain drug and alcohol free and complete her substance abuse program, the same sentence that was negotiated a week earlier out of the Newburyport District Court.