Kentucky Psychiatrist Peter Steiner Guilty of Prescribing Controlled Substances for No Medical Reason; Traded Drugs for Sexually Graphic Images

March 18, 2020

A Kentucky psychiatrist who was previously charged with dealing drugs pleaded guilty on Wednesday.

Dr. Peter Steiner pleaded guilty to distributing controlled substances without a medical reason, U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman announced in a statement.

A grand jury indicted Steiner in June 2018, charging the Kentuckiana Mental Health Associates psychiatrist with prescribing "medically unnecessary drugs that were also prescribed outside the usual course of professional practice."

Per Coleman's office, Steiner prescribed thousands of units of Buprenorphine and distributed opiates, filled early refills for patients, prescribed drugs in exchange for "sexually graphic photos and videos" and prescribed "dangerous combinations" of drugs.

More: Patients died, families lived in fear of doctor charged as drug dealer

He has entered a plea agreement and could get four years in prison and four years supervised release.

“This is a crystal clear example of the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuting a doctor turned drug dealer; not an attempt to insert itself into the legitimate practice of medicine,” Coleman said in a statement. “Trading powerful controlled substances for graphic sexual images in a predatory fashion is far afield from the type of true patient care that the vast majority of Kentuckians enjoy from their fine doctors.”

Source: “Kentucky doctor faces potential prison time after pleading guilty to dealing drugs,” Louisville Courier,” March 11, 2020. URL: https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/crime/2020/03/11/kentucky-psychiatrist-pleads-guilty-dealing-drugs/5023531002/