Pair plead not guilty in oxycodone case

A Baldwin Harbor doctor and a man he allegedly supplied oxycodone to pleaded not guilty Thursday in federal court to charges of conspiracy to distribute the painkiller.

The doctor, Leonard Stambler, was released on a $750,000 bond, and the man, Chris Adams, was released on the condition that he immediately enroll in a drug treatment program at Phoenix House on Long Island. They were indicted Dec. 6.

Stambler and Adams appeared before U.S. District Judge Joseph Bianco in Central Islip.

Stambler's indictment is part of a continuing federal investigation into the illegal distribution of oxycodone, according to court papers. He allegedly supplied prescriptions from his van or left them on his porch for patients, the papers said.

Stambler "was prescribing large numbers of oxycodone pills . . . to patients who were believed to be reselling and/or abusing this controlled substance," court papers said.

On one occasion, police said, Stambler and Adams drove to an unidentified East Rockaway pharmacy, which filled an oxycodone prescription written for Adams by Stambler. Then the two drove together to a nearby street, where federal agents believe Adams handed over some of the pills to another man, the papers said.

When Drug Enforcement Administration agents stopped the car, Adams said that he told Stambler that he needed to give 20 of the pills to the unidentified man, the papers said.

Adams said the doctor replied, "I don't want to see it, and I don't want to know about it," the papers said.

Stambler's attorney, Gary Schoer, declined to comment, as did Adams' lawyer, Tracey Gaffey. Eastern District prosecutor Allen Bode declined to comment after the hearing.

Stambler and Adams face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the charges.