Frank Parasmo of Deer Park sentenced to 3 years in prison for unlawfully prescribing oxycodone, federal prosecutors say
Frank Parasmo leaves federal court in Central Islip in 2017. Credit: Ed Betz
A former doctor from Deer Park was sentenced Thursday to three years in federal prison for prescribing highly addictive opioids without a legitimate medical purpose to patients he suspected were addicts, federal prosecutors said.
From 2010 to 2015, Frank Parasmo, 76, prescribed over 1.5 million oxycodone and hydrocodone pills, making him one of the top prescribers of those painkillers in New York State during that period, federal prosecutors said.
He was convicted of 32 counts of unlawfully distributing oxycodone, a highly addictive prescription painkiller, to 18 patients without a legitimate medical purpose, prosecutors said.
Parasmo's attorney did not respond to a message seeking comment.
Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney the Eastern District of New York. Credit: HuffPost/Brittainy Newman
“Today’s sentence demonstrates that there are significant consequences for doctors who act as drug dealers,” said U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District Breon Peace in a statement. “This office remains committed to using all tools available to address the damage the opioid crisis does to our communities."
He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Joan M. Azrack.
According to prosecutors, between January 2014 and February 2015, Parasmo provided prescriptions for oxycodone and hydrocodone pills to 18 of his patients, including those who had just left detox treatment in rehabilitation facilities and who had just been discharged from a hospital following an overdose.
He also "continued to write prescriptions for individuals who he had been warned were not taking their pills as prescribed and, in some instances, possibly reselling them on the streets," prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said Parasmo issued prescriptions to many patients "he knew were taking illegal drugs or who he suspected were addicts."
He cut in half the number of oxycodone prescriptions he issued annually after he learned that the DEA was investigating his prescribing practices, prosecutors said.
The investigation began in fall 2014 when a probation officer reported to the DEA that Parasmo "continued prescribing … oxycodone to a well-documented poly-drug abuser in a drug-treatment program," according to a complaint filed by federal prosecutors when Parasmo was arrested in 2017.
Scores of Parasmo supporters packed into Azrack's courtroom before the defendant was sentenced.
Andrew Roland of Freeport said he came to the Central Islip courthouse on Thursday to support Parasmo. He said Parasmo had been his family physician for many years.
He said the former doctor helped him when he injured his back a few years ago, and then helped him overcome a painkiller addiction that sprang from those injuries. Parasmo recommended pain management to help wean Roland from painkillers, Roland said,
"There was no negligence, and he did nothing wrong," said Roland, 38.
"DEA’s investigative and regulatory focus is to keep the public safe and healthy,” said DEA Special Agent-in-Charge for the New York Division Frank A. Tarentino III. “Parasmo’s actions were irresponsible to his patients and endangered theirs and others’ safety and well-being; his disregard of pertinent information such illicit drug use and the diversion of highly addictive opioid prescriptions was egregious."
With Michael O'Keeffe
Nicole Fuller is Newsday's senior criminal justice reporter. She began working at Newsday in 2012 and previously covered local government.
