Dr. John Manzella, a resident of Salisbury Township, has been sentenced to a jail term of two to six years for the fraudulent prescription of a substantial quantity of oxycodone tablets from his medical clinic in Carbon County.
You can help us put a stop to online scams before they grow too big and end-up ruining thousands of lives. A scam is a scam, doesn’t matter if it’s big or small. Now that this is out of the way, let’s get started with the review.
The punishment comes following over four years until the allegations were initially brought against him. In the preceding year, the individual in question entered a plea of guilty to a single charge of conspiracy, as well as a separate charge of illegal prescribing by a physician.
The inquiry into the allegations against Dr. John Manzella commenced, initiated by state narcotics investigators who were conducting an investigation into a loan scam matter concerning Robert J. Kosch of Newark, New Jersey.
Throughout the inquiry, correspondence authored by Dr. John Manzella, which pertained to patient care as well as unfulfilled medication, was unearthed at Kosch’s office.
Subsequently, the Pennsylvania authorities initiated an investigation by consulting the state prescription tracking database, which revealed a substantial number of medications for drugs attributed to Dr. John Manzella. The prescriptions were found to have been dispensed at several pharmacies located in the eastern region of Pennsylvania.
Upon conducting a more extensive examination of Dr. John Manzella’s records, it was discovered that he had maintained documentation for only nine out of the 35 patients for whom he had issued prescriptions.
The verification of prescriptions by Manzella’s office was found to have occurred during Kosch’s attempt to fill them, resulting in the accumulation of more than 10,000 oxycodone pills with the intention of distribution.
Dr. John Manzella, aged 53, entered a plea of guilty to two crimes under a plea agreement, resulting in a substantial reduction from the initial 99 counts he was originally charged with.
Judge Steven Serfass approved the petition for a jail sentence that falls within the lower range of the normal minimum sentencing guidelines. Attorney Glenn Goodge of Allentown, representing Dr. John Manzella, referred to the judge’s assessment of support from previous patients and the local community, along with Manzella’s admission throughout the sentencing proceedings of his endeavors to combat substance misuse.
In 2013, the medical license of Dr. John Manzella was suspended as a result of substance dependency, the diversion of prescription medication, and the violation of medical board standards through the establishment of inappropriate connections with patients.
The disclosure during the sentencing proceedings indicated that Dr. John Manzella possessed privileges at Palmerton Hospital, St. Luke’s Hospital-Miners Campus, and his Jim Thorpe office.
Robert J. Kosch, an individual implicated in the ongoing investigation, was confronted with a total of 300 accusations. These allegations encompassed a range of offenses, such as conspiring, theft of identity, narcotics acquisition to sell, and illegal prescribing of prohibited medications.
Nevertheless, the aforementioned individual’s legal matter is presently classified as inactive according to the records of Carbon County Court.
Developments
The charges: Allegations were made against Dr. John Manzella about the authorship of deceitful prescriptions for oxycodone, which were purportedly issued from his healthcare establishment located in Jim Thorpe. The medication prescriptions were purportedly obtained by an individual residing in New Jersey and subsequently fulfilled at shops located in Pennsylvania.
The Investigations: The commencement of the inquiries occurred subsequent to the initiation authorities’ inquiry into loan deception, during which they fortuitously came upon Manzella’s prescriptions & patient letters at the office of Robert Kosch.
Subsequent inquiry disclosed that Dr. John Manzella had administered narcotic medications to patients in the absence of their corresponding medical records.
The Sentences: Consequently, Dr. John Manzella was convicted by Carbon County Judge Steven Serfass to a term of imprisonment ranging from up to six years.
Dr. John Manzella: Salisbury Physician, Accused of Illegally Dispensing Oxycodone
Dr. John Manzella, a medical professional based in Allentown, has been accused of engaging in a conspiracy to illicitly prescribe a quantity exceeding 10,000 Oxycodone tablets with the intention of facilitating their subsequent resale.
Dr. John Manzella resides at the address of 1921 Lehigh Parkway North. The announcement of his arrest was made by Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane. According to Kane, Robert Kosch, a co-defendant in the case, has been formally charged and is presently awaiting extradition from the state of New Jersey.
As per the findings of the researchers, Dr. John Manzella & Kosch were found to have colluded in the act of obtaining Oxycodone prescriptions under fabricated identities.
The text conversations purportedly demonstrate the exchange of cautionary messages between Kosch and Manzella regarding an anticipated phone contact from a pharmacy seeking to authenticate a prescription.
According to the agents, it is believed that Manzella’s purported deception and fraudulent activities led to the distribution of over 10,000 tablets, which are estimated to have a street value of over $300,000.
Manzella is facing charges encompassing 48 instances of illicitly administering or prescribing a controlled narcotic, instances of obtaining a controlled drug by deception, two instances of engaging in criminal conspiracy, and one instance of committing identity theft.
Manzella saw a preliminary arraignment in the presence of Jim Thorpe Magisterial District Judge Edward Lewis, following which he was granted release on fifty thousand dollars unsecured bond.
The individual voluntarily chose to forgo their entitlement to a preliminary hearing and surrendered their DEA license to prescribe controlled substances. Kane expressed gratitude towards the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office in New Jersey for their valuable support in facilitating the inquiry.
The case in Carbon County will be prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Robert Rosner, who is affiliated with the Drug Strike Force Section of the Attorney General’s Office.
Who is Dr. John Manzella?
Dr. John Manzella is a medical professional and businessperson located in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Dr. Manzella possesses a multifaceted professional history, encompassing both as a medical practitioner and an entrepreneur.
In the year 2009, the individual established LV Housecalls, a nascent enterprise that offers medical services to patients within the confines of their residences.
Subsequently, the individual has assumed several positions within the field of medicine, including that of the Medical Director and Practice Manager. Additionally, they have provided consultation services to medical offices, aiding them in optimizing their office processes.
Consequently, he has been convicted in a legal inquiry about the operation of a Pill Mill and is accused of unlawfully distributing Oxycodone. For further information regarding Dr. Manzella, please go to the following link: Dr. Manzella: Dr. Manzella.
Final Thoughts
Dr. John Manzella has been convicted and subsequently condemned to a jail term ranging from two to six years in prison. The charges against him stem from the unlawful prescription of a significant quantity of oxycodone, which occurred at his healthcare clinic located in Carbon County.
The punishment was rendered subsequent to a period of almost four years following the first claims, during which Dr. Manzella entered a plea of guilt to counts pertaining to complicity as well as the unlawful issuance of prescriptions.
A later investigation into the state prescription tracking database revealed that Dr. Manzella had issued a significant number of prescriptions that were subsequently dispensed at pharmacies located in eastern Pennsylvania.
Upon conducting a more comprehensive examination of Dr. Manzella’s records, it was discovered that he had furnished paperwork for a mere nine individuals out of the total thirty-five patients for whom he had given medication.
