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Office of the District Attorney P. David Soares Arraignment of Dr. David W. Stephenson on Drug Charges ALBANY, NY - Albany County District Attorney P. David Soares announced today the arraignments of DAVID W. STEPHENSON, MD of Rome, NY on four counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance before the Honorable Thomas A. Breslin. District Attorney Soares emphasized the importance of this arrest. “The fastest growing component of the illegal drug trade is the abuse of prescription drugs. We all need to recognize that in the age of the internet, the new street corner is on the information highway.” The indictment alleges that the defendant ran a website through which anyone with a credit card could purchase a broad range of drugs. Specifically the indictment alleges that STEPHENSON illegally sold the stimulant methylin, the narcotic preparation hydrocodone, the controlled substance nandralone and more than 360 milligrams of methadone. Methylin is generic form of ritilin and it is popular with students who use it to stay up to cram for exams, etc. Hydrocodone is a generic form of lortabs, a powerful synthetic pain killer. Nandralone is an anabolic steroid popular with body builders and banned by most major competitive sports. And methadone is a synthetic morphine substitute used in prescription form for the treatment of herion abuse. Abuse of these drugs can cause long term health problems and death. Methadone can result in death through overdose and is addictive. Ritilin is also addictive. The opening of the sealed indictments concludes an investigation involving the NYS Health Department, the District Attorney’s Drug Bureau and the Colonie Police Department. The websites operated by the defendant have been shut down and the investigation is continuing. In New York State, a Doctor may not prescribe a drug unless he conducts a face-to-face diagnostic examination of the patient and a pharmacy may not dispense a prescription drug without a prescription. If convicted on all counts, STEPHENSON faces up to 26 ½ years in prison. Back to Press Releases For further information contact: Richard Arthur
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