Poconos physician convicted in unlawful drug distribution resulting in death case
A physician that had been practicing in Milford, Pike County, Dr. Martin Evers, age 64, was found guilty on December 5, 2022, for unlawfully distributing controlled substances resulting in death, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
The verdict was announced following a three-week trial before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani.
A 48-year-old Monroe County woman died on February 11, 2019 as a result of Evers unlawfully distributing oxycodone and fentanyl, United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam stated.
Evers' conviction is based on the one count concerning this victim's death, out of 71 counts of unlawful distribution of controlled substances in the superseding indictment.
The range of counts included unlawful distribution of oxycodone, fentanyl and methadone, all Schedule II controlled substances, and diazepam, a Schedule IV controlled substance.
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Evers was an employee of the Bon Secours Charity Health System in Port Jervis and practiced as a primary care physician in Milford. He was licensed in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and authorized to prescribe controlled substances for legitimate medical purposes and in the usual course of professional practice.He was indicted on August 28, 2019, by a federal grand jury.
His medical license was suspended on September 4, 2019, the same day he appeared for arraignment on his charges.
During the three-week trial, prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office presented the testimony from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) - Diversion Division, six pharmacists who refused to fill prescriptions issued by Evers, and a Walmart Global Investigations witness who offered testimony related to Walmart’s issuance of a nationwide ban for filling all narcotic prescriptions issued by Evers.
Also giving testimony were an expert on pain medicine, an expert toxicologist, an expert pathologist, a Pennsylvania State Police Officer, and a witness from the Monroe County Coroner’s Office.
The jury found that Evers repeatedly prescribed oxycodone and other opioids outside the usual course of professional practice and not for legitimate medical purposes and as a result, addiction and death occurred.Following the jury’s verdict, prosecutors requested that Evers be immediately detained pending sentencing.
Judge Mariani ordered Evers detained.
The two-year long investigation in this case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and its Diversion Division, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Olshefski and Jenny Robert prosecuted the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is a term of imprisonment up to life, followed by a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
As listed by doctor.webmd.com, Dr. Martin Louis Evers, MD graduated from the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in 1985. His specialty was Internal Medicine.
This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Poconos, Port Jervis physician convicted in drug death case
