Attorney General Michelle Henry announced a Luzerne County doctor is charged with diverting fentanyl and Dilaudid by falsifying records and reports while working as an anesthesiologist at medical facilities in Berks and Columbia counties.
Richard Lemaster Hubbell was charged this week with 32 felony counts of acquisition or obtaining of possession of a controlled substance and related misdemeanors.
Hubbell, 60, was arraigned Thursday at a district court and bail was set at $150,000 unsecured, with electronic monitoring.
“This defendant took an oath to protect his patients and he abused his position of power to divert hundreds and hundreds of doses of potentially lethal substances,” Attorney General Henry said. “No position of power or authority provides permission to break the law, and my office will fulfill its duty to protect the public without making exceptions for title or rank.”
Office of Attorney General agents, during a search at Hubbell’s home on Long Run Road in Drums, found hundreds of used and unused vials and syringes containing the two opioids.
The investigation revealed Hubbell was diverting the substances by falsifying records to show the substances were administered to patients — some who did not even require them.
According to the charges, Hubbell diverted the substances while working at Pennsylvania Eye and Ear Surgical Center in Wyomissing, Berks County and Berwick Hospital in Columbia County.
The case will be prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Michelle Hardik. All charges are accusations. The defendant is innocent unless and until proven guilty.
