Somerset County cardiologist sentenced to 30 months in prison for unlawfully distributing thousands of oxycodone pills
SOMERSET COUNTY, NJ – A Somerset County cardiologist was sentenced Wednesday to 30 months in prison for unlawfully prescribing thousands of oxycodone pills, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced Wednesday.
Raymond Catania, 60, of Warren Township previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp to dispensing oxycodone outside of the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose, Sellinger said.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Catania was a New Jersey physician specializing in cardiology and practicing in Watchung Borough.
From January 2016 through March 2017, Catania issued prescriptions for thousands of Oxycodone pills to one of his patients, and Catania did so without a legitimate medical purpose and outside of the usual course of professional practice. Catania also issued prescriptions for thousands of Oxycodone pills to that patient’s wife even though the wife was not Catania’s patient.
Oxycodone – a Schedule II controlled substance – has a high potential for abuse that can lead to severe psychological and physical dependence and can result in fatal overdoses. Catania prescribed more than 8,600 Oxycodone 30 mg pills.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Shipp fined Catania $25,000 and sentenced him to three years of supervised release, Sellinger said.
