State temporarily suspends license of psychiatric arrested for assault of patient

The Delaware Board of Medical Practice has issued an emergency, temporary suspension of Dr. Allen C. Weiss’s medical license for engaging in activities that present “a clear and immediate danger to the public health.”

Allegations against the Milford psychiatrist include violations in the prescribing and dispensing of controlled substances and in the keeping of patient records, Delaware Department of State spokesman Christopher R. Portante said.

The board acted after receiving a written complaint and motion for temporary suspension from the Delaware Department of Justice.

Weiss, 64, has also been accused of “bizarre behavior, including biting his hands and fingers, [and] verbal abuse of patients and pharmacists.”

This emergency action, taken on June 17, is also based on allegations that on June 9 Weiss verbally and physically abused a patient, resulting in an arrest and charges of unlawful imprisonment in the second degree and assault in the third degree.

Weiss was given notice of the proposed suspension, but did not appear at a June 16 meeting to contest the action.

Weiss could not be reached for comment.

Secretary of State Jeffrey Bullock had already suspended Weiss’ controlled substance registration back on June 10. In accordance with state law, all controlled substances owned by or in possession of Weiss were placed under seal by the director of the Office of Controlled Substances.

On June 10, Delaware State Police arrested Weiss and charged him with unlawful imprisonment and third-degree assault, state police Sgt. Walter Newton said.

The doctor had called 911 to report a disorderly patient at his office, which is also his home, in the 100 block of Russell Road, Milford, Newton said. But he told police the patient left.

Police later received a report from Milford Memorial Hospital of a 28-year-old woman who came in and said she was assaulted at the doctor’s office, Newton said. The woman told police she was a first time patient and during her session, the doctor became enraged, took off his belt and unbuttoned the top button on his pants.

She said that when she tried to leave, the doctor grabbed her by the arm and tried to pull her back into the office, Newton said. The victim eventually exited the waiting room and ran to a car that was waiting for her and was driven to the hospital.

Police arrested Weiss and charged him with unlawful imprisonment and third-degree assault. He was released on unsecured bond pending a formal arraignment, Newton said.

Source: “Milford psychiatrist loses state license temporarily,” Dover News, June 25, 2010.

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State places restrictions on psychiatrist Yvette K. Baker’s medical and prescribing licenses

On April 6, 2010, the Delaware Board of Medical Practice placed restrictions on psychiatrist Yvette K. Baker’s controlled substance license and imposed terms and conditions on her physician’s license because she committed unprofessional conduct.

Source: Entry on Yvette K. Baker, as found in Public Disciplinary Action Report, posted on the website of the State of Delaware Board of Medical Practice, URL: http://dpr.delaware.gov/boards/medicalpractice/documents/dispaction.pdf

New York psychiatrist Ramon E. Ravelo precluded from practicing while under criminal investigation

On June 10, 2010, the New York State Board for Professional Medical Conduct issued an Interim Order of Conditions on psychiatrist Ramon Emilio Ravelo, precluding him from practicing medicine in New York State.

This Order is not considered a disciplinary action, as the Board is still investigating alleged misconduct by Ravelo and may ultimately pursue a proceeding against him.

Ravelo was arrested January 5, 2010 by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents and Potsdam Police after a two-month investigation which was led by investigators from the New York State Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement (BNE).

Ravelo was charged with five felony counts of Falsifying Business Records and one felony count of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance.

The terms of the Board’s Order shall remain in effect until 30 days after the final disposition (conviction, acquittal or dismissal) of the aforementioned criminal investigation by the DEA, BNE and Potsdam Police.

Source: Interim Order of Conditions Pursuant to N.Y. Pub. Health Law § 230 in the Matter of Ramon Ravelo, M.D., New York State Department of Health State Board for Professional Medical Conduct, June 10, 2010 and Elizabeth Dearborn, “Psychiatrist arrested by DEA and Potsdam PD,” Gouverneur Times, January 20, 2010.

Texas psychiatrist Doyle Brashear prohibited from treating patients for chronic pain

On April 9, 2010, psychiatrist Doyle Hubbard Brashear entered into an agreement with the Texas Medical Board to cease treatment of chronic pain patients.

The basis for this action was Brashear’s failure to maintain adequate medical records and his failure to follow Board rules on the treatment of chronic pain.

According to the Board’s Agreed Order, Brashear, in his treatment of six patients with chronic pain, violated the standard of care by failing to review existing labs/x-rays or order new ones, and by failing to screen the patients for drug abuse potential.

Board staff additionally found his documentation to be illegible and inadequate.

In addition to having to cease treatment of patients with chronic pain, he is required to acquire eight hours of continuing medical education in medical record keeping.

Source: Agreed Order In the Matter of the License of Doyle Hubbard Brashear, M.D., License No. C-4954, Before the Texas Medical Board, April 9, 2010.

Washington state charges counselor Kelly Shanley-Johnson with sexual misconduct

On February 5, 2010, the Washington Department of Health (DoH) issued a Statement of Charges on registered counselor Kelly Shanley-Johnson, alleging sexual misconduct. According to the document, Shanley-Johnson was employed at an out-patient clinic providing chemical dependency treatment. “Client A” began court-ordered chemical dependency treatment at the clinic in early 2007, as a condition of a receiving a deferred prosecution on a DUI charge. After “A” left the clinic in April 2008, Shanley-Johnson met him socially and their relationship soon included sexual contact and she continued their sexual relationship until December 2008.

Source: Statement of Charges In the Matter of Kelly S. Shanley-Johnson, Credential No. RC00058575, Case No. M2009-980, State of Washington Department of Health, February 5, 2010.

Virginia counselor Lorraine Beaulieu placed on probation for failing to recognize, act on patient suicide attempt

On April 5, 2010, the Virginia Board of Counseling placed licensed professional counselor Lorraine C. Beaulieu on indefinite probation with terms and conditions for a period of not less than one year.

Terms of the probation require Beaulieu to have her practice supervised by another Board-approved counselor or therapist who submit regular reviews of Beaulieu’s practice to the Board, as well as other terms and conditions.

According to the Board’s Order, Beaulieu committed violations of regulations governing the practice of her profession, regarding a patient who engaged in suicidal behavior which Beaulieu neglected to treat as such.

Specifically, in August 2006, Beaulieu learned that the patient had taken an overdose of the tranquilizer Ambien in response to her emotional pain but Beaulieu failed to treat it as a suicide attempt, failed to inform the client’s husband or another identified party of the attempt or continuing danger of a prescription overdose.

At a later time, the client reported to Beaulieu that she had intentionally injected air into her bloodstream in sufficient quantity to have caused a fatal embolism. Again, Beaulieu failed to recognize this act as a suicide attempt, failed to inform the client’s husband or another identified responsible party.

In yet another incident, upon learning that the client had made a third suicide attempt by cutting her wrists only hours earlier, Beaulieu told the client, “This jeopardizes our future therapy relationship” or words to that effect.

Source: Order In Re: Lorraine C. Beaulieu, L.P.C., License No. 0701-001244, Case No. 122802, Before the Virginia Board of Counseling, April 5, 2010.

States permanently restrict psychiatrist Peter Campbell from prescribing controlled substances

On October 14, 2009, the Maryland Board of Physicians publicly reprimanded psychiatrist Peter L. Campbell and permanently restricted him from prescribing Schedule II, III and IV Controlled Dangerous Substances.  This was a reciprocal action based on a disciplinary action issued by the Virginia Medical Board for  Campbell’s failure of the standard of care relative to 11 patients.

The Virginia Board’s May 22, 2009 Order states, among other things, that Campbell “failed to consistently obtain a complete patient history prior to prescribing controlled substances; prescribed narcotics and benzodiazepines [tranquilizers] to patients without performing any physical examination, evaluation or assessment…[and] without diagnosing a medical condition justifying such prescriptions, ordering diagnostic tests to determine the etiology of the patient’s pain or documenting his reasons for selecting the…medications prescribed; prescribed controlled substances to patients who exhibited drug-seeking behavior or who he knew or should have known were abusing or had become addicted to…their medications and repeatedly authorized early refills…without any medical indication other than information provided…by the patients themselves (i.e. medications reported by patients as lost, stolen, disappeared, left in Hawaii, vomited up, destroyed by fire etc. and other non-verified explanations provided by patients.)”

He was similarly reprimanded and had his practice restricted in the states of Pennsylvania, Illinois and New Jersey.

Source: Consent Order In Re: Peter L. Campbell, M.D., License No. 0101-029943, Before the Board of Medicine (Virginia), May 22, 2009 and Consent Order in the Matter of the License of Peter L. Campbell, M.D., License No. MA85460, New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners, October 15, 2009, as posted on the Citizens Commission on Human Rights’ (CCHR) http://www.psychcrime.org website.

State revokes psychiatrist Anastasia Kucharski’s right to renew her license; practiced with lapsed license, fraud

On April 14, 2010, the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine revoked psychiatrist Anastasia Kucharski’s right to renew her license.

Kucharski’s license lapsed on July 28, 2005.  She was notified of this by Board staff on that day.  The Board received Kucharski’s renewal application on August 31, 2005.

On or about December 8, 2005, the Board instructed Kucharski to a complete a “Lapsed License Application” if she wished to revive her license to practice medicine.  The Board did not received Kucharski’s Lapsed License Application until March 4, 2008.

Kucharski thus practiced on a lapsed license from July 28, 2005 until early March 2008.

The Board’s Order also states that Kucharski practiced medicine without malpractice insurance between over most of a seven-year period between 2000 and 2008 but that on her 2001 license renewal application indicated that her malpractice insurance carrier was ProMutual.

Lastly, the Board charged Kucharski with fraud for answering “no” to questions regarding criminal arrest, charge, conviction, etc. on her 1992, 1995 and 2008 medical license renewal applications.  She was convicted in 1991 for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, charged in 1994 with operating a motor vehicle with a revoked registration and operating an uninsured motor vehicle and charged in 2006 and 2007 with operating a motor vehicle on a suspended license, suspended registration and operating an uninsured vehicle (same charges, both instances).

Source: Final Decision and Order In the Matter of Anastasia Kucharski, M.D., Adjudicatory Case No. 2008-048 (RM-008-824), Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine, as found on Citizens Commission on Human Rights’ (CCHR) http://www.psychcrime.org website.

Nevada psychiatrist intern Steven C. Wein arrested on attempted arson; related charge of masturbating in casino elevator

On December 3, 2009, the Nevada State Board of Osteopathic Medicine issued and Order of Summary Suspension on psychiatrist Steven C. Wein, thus suspending both his medical license and “Special License.”

This suspension was based on allegation contained in the Board’s December 3, 2009 Complaint and Request for Summary Suspension, which charged Wein with unprofessional and unethical conduct, based on the following:

“On or about November 1, 2009, Respondent [Wein] was arrested at the Monte Carlo Hotel & Casino, on Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas, Nevada.

A criminal complaint was filed in Las Vegas Justice Court (Case No. 09F22765X, Department 5) wherein it is alleged that Respondent Wein ‘willfully and unlawfully commit and act of open and gross lewdness by deliberately exposing and masturbating his penis in direct view and presence’ of three females.  The acts were caught on video cameras located in the elevator in which Respondent Wein and the three females were passengers.”

He was charged with open and gross lewdness, a misdemeanor, and released on a $1,000 bond.  The three females have been identified in news reports as being students at the University of Arizona.

On April 23, 2010, five days prior to a preliminary hearing on the charges, Wein was arrested in Yuma, Arizona on charges that he ignited a gasoline-soaked cloth in the students’ residence in the early morning hours of that day.  A sprinkler system extinguished the resulting fire and no one was harmed.

Upon his arrest, Arizona investigators discovered “a handwritten list of steps for committing the arson, a portion of auto carpeting wet with apparent gasoline, and a handwritten note with the address of another witness from the November hotel incident” in Wein’s possession, according to court records.

His bail on the lewdness charged was revoked when Las Vegas authorities learned of his Arizona arrest.  He is currently being held without bail.

Source: Francine McCabe, “Suspect in lewdness case ordered held without bail,” Las Vegas Review-Journal, May 6, 2010 and Complaint and Request for Summary Suspension and Order of Summary Suspension in the Matter of the Complaint Against Steven C. Wein, Lic. #1450/SL 0468, Case No. AD 0911003, NV State Board of Osteopathic Medicine.

Yehuda Crammer, UK psychiatrist, sentenced to 30 months for concealing assets from creditors; owed more than £8 million

On June 8, 2010, psychologist Yehuda Crammer, of Manchester, UK, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for concealing property after declaring bankruptcy.

Crammer declared bankruptcy in 2004 after failing to pay £800,000 in debts incurred relative to a care home he owned which fell into financial difficulty.

What was discovered is that Crammer owned a number of properties in the UK and in Spain, which he did not reveal to creditors, and which he used as collateral to run up an additional £319,000 in bank loans.

A bankruptcy notice published in London in 2009 indicated Crammer had used 49 false names to protect his assets.  For example, after declaring bankruptcy in 2004, he undertook the sale of three residences he owned to the false identity “Yehuda Ido Kramer,” so that his creditors could not take it away from him.  He then re-mortgaged these properties for £156,000 with a Scottish Bank.  He ran up the additional $£319,000 by borrowing money under fake names, using properties he secretly owned as security.

Source: Chris Osuh, “Unmasked, the bankrupt doctor with hidden fortune,” Manchester Evening News, June 9, 2010 and “Psychologist used false names to avoid £1m property debt,” Jewish Chronicle online, June 10, 2010.