Salisbury Doctor Charged in Drug Ring, AG Says

A Salisbury Township doctor was charged Tuesday with allegedly conspiring to unlawfully prescribe more than 10,000 Oxycodone pills for resale in eight counties.

John Manzella, 49, of 1921 Lehigh Parkway North was identified as the suspect, according to a release from Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane.

Agents believe that more than 10,000 pills with an estimated street value of $300,000 were dispensed due to Manzella's alleged misrepresentation and fraud.

Prescriptions for Oxycodone from Manzella were filled in at least eight counties -- Bucks, Carbon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton and Schuylkill -- according to investigators.

Manzella is charged with 48 counts of unlawfully administering/prescribing a controlled substance, 48 counts of acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, two counts of criminal conspiracy and one count of identity theft, according to Kane's office. 

Kane said Robert Kosch, a co-defendant in the case, has already been charged and is awaiting extradition from New Jersey.

Investigators say Manzella conspired with Kosch to fill Oxycodone prescriptions in fictitious names. Text messages allegedly show warnings sent from Kosch to Manzella about a pharmacy that would be calling to verify a prescription.

Manzella was arraigned before District Judge Edward Lewis of Jim Thorpe and released on $500,000 unsecured bail. 

Manzella waived his right to a preliminary hearing and relinquished his DEA license to write scheduled drugs, Kane's office said.