Psychiatrist Kevin George charged with possessing forged prescriptions

July 11, 2013

A doctor, his wife and an acquaintance of theirs are charged with faking prescriptions to illegally obtain Xanax and morphine, Colonie police said.

Dr. Kevin George, 53, and Jennifer George, 28, both of East Schodack, and Nicholas Marro, 30, of Schenectady, are all charged with possessing forged prescriptions.

Last year, Kevin George was arrested in a separate legal case involving allegations of improperly touching female employees. Those charges are still pending, Colonie Police Lt. Robert Winn said.

Two years ago, he pleaded guilty to negligence in his medical practice; he paid a $20,000 fine and his license was suspended for 36 months, though the suspension was stayed and he was allowed to continue to practice, according to a 2012 Times Union story. George is a psychiatrist who specializes in prescribing medication to adults and adolescents with mental health problems at Psychopharmacology Consultants of Albany, where his wife also worked. His office is at 18 Computer Drive West, off Wolf Road.

According to police, the pharmacist at the ShopRite in Colonie became suspicious June 26 when Jennifer George came in with a prescription for Xanax and morphine written out under another name. The pharmacist called to confirm the validity of the prescription.

"The person she gets ahold of, unfortunately, is Dr. Kevin George, who verified the validity of the prescription," Winn said.

It was later discovered that the signature of the physician assistant on the form was forged, Winn said.

On July 2, police said, Jennifer George was charged with driving while ability impaired by prescription drugs by Colonie Patrol Officer David Mink. During the investigation, forged prescriptions were found in her car.

Six days later, an investigator with the state Bureau of Controlled Substances was at the CVS Pharmacy on Sand Creek Road working on the investigation when Marro walked in with what police say was a forged prescription for 180 10-milligram Percocet pills.

"Jennifer George was nearby and waiting for those pills," Winn said.

Marro was arrested by Colonie police in the CVS parking lot, and Jennifer George also was arrested.

During the booking of Marro and George, Kevin George came to the police station and was arrested for his part in the incident on June 26, police said.

"There are probably at least two other people who have been passing these scripts," Winn said.

In each case, the investigator said, Jennifer George was using the pills herself.

Forged prescriptions were also passed at the Rite-Aid at 1863 Central Ave. The prescriptions involved Xanax, morphine, methadone, oxycodone, diazepam and Soma, police said. The prescriptions all came from the office of Kevin George but bore forgeries of a physician assistant's signature, Winn said.

Kevin George is charged with a felony count of criminal possession of a forged instrument. Marro is charged with the same count and another charge of criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Jennifer George is charged with four counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument, two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, and one count of criminal possession of a narcotic drug. She also faces charges for allegedly driving under the influence of prescription drugs.

Last June, Kevin George was charged with two counts of sexual abuse and two counts of forcible touching, all misdemeanors. At the time, Winn said, George was accused of touching employees in a sexual way.

In 2011, he was disciplined by the state Board for Professional Medical Conduct. The board accused George of 36 counts of negligence related to four patients, as detailed in Health Department records. The allegations were that he inadequately evaluated several patients, prescribed excessive levels of medication, failed to properly monitor patients and failed to maintain accurate records. In a consent agreement with the state board, George admitted to some of the negligence charges.

Source: Tim O'Brien, "Doctor among three in script case," Times Union, July 11, 2013.