Oakland's 'Candy Man' Prescribed Drugs For No Reason: US Attorney

OAKLAND, NJ — A doctor and self-described "El Chapo of opioids" has been accused of prescribing drugs to people without a legitimate medical reason, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Dr. Robert Delagente, 45, of Oakland was charged with distribution of controlled dangerous substances and obstruction of justice, Carpentio announced in a news release Monday.

Delagente prescribed painkillers, including oxycodone, Percocet, Tylenol with codeine, and various kinds of benzodiazepines without a legitimate medical purpose and in combination with one another while a doctor at North Jersey Family Medicine in Oakland beginning in May 2014, Carpenito said.

Delagente prescribed the substances without ever seeing patients for medical visits and to patients he knew were addicted to opioids, Carpentio said.

He also allowed patients to ask him for substances through text messages; Delagente would write prescriptions and leave them at the practice's front desk for the patients to pick up, Carpenito said.

A patient once texted Delagente that they "probably can't stop the pk's [painkillers]." A few days later, when the patient could not get pain medication, they wrote to Delagante, "If I go four days without [painkillers] I am in huge trouble." In response, Delagente wrote, "I will leave you a short supply RX [prescription] at the front to pick up," Carpenito said.

An employee once texted Delagente that a patient drove a long way to the practice and could not see a doctor, Carpentio said. Delagente responded, "Oh well … C’est la vie! Lol … He can wait for his oral heroin another day. Lol."

Delagente allowed patients to determine the strength and dosage of the drugs he prescribed, Carpenito said. He prescribed the dangerous "Holy Trinity" of drugs in combination: opioids, muscle relaxers, and benzodiazepines, usually alprazolam, he said.

Delagente was also charged with obstruction of justice. He was accused of altering medical records of patients who received controlled substance prescriptions. He is accused of making the changes after officials subpoenaed the records in April, Carpenito said.

Delagente is scheduled to appear Monday afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Steven Mannion in Newark federal court. He faces up to 40 years in prison and a $1.25 million fine on the charges filed against him.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com