Rudolph B. Puana, a former Big Island pain doctor, was found liable on all 38 counts of an indictment by a federal grand jury.
According to a press release by the U.S. Department of Justice, Puana was charged with conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and fentanyl and distribution of off-label oxycodone and fentanyl professionally and without a medicolegal purpose. Chief District Judge J. Michael Seabright ordered Rudolph B. Puana remanded in custody.
“To conceal his crimes, Puana fabricated handwritten medical records for his closest friends, which included false drug tests,” the release states. “During their testimony, Puana’s friends admitted that Puana was not their pain doctor and that they had never gone to his clinic (previously the Puana Pain Clinic) for any medical visits, even though Puana falsely documented that they were examined there. In addition to falsifying the clinic’s files, Puana also kept a secret notebook hidden in the clinic’s drug closet. The notebook was handwritten by Puana to cover up his multi-year addiction to hydrocodone.”
After a three-week-long trial, the court reviewed the case for less than a day and sentenced Puana for distributing significant amounts of oxycodone, according to the release. Oxycodone is a Schedule II controlled substance and Puana distributed it to his closest and trusted friends to sell it and pay tuition at one of the most expensive and privileged private schools in the United States.
“The unlawful diversion of prescription drugs is one of the most serious problems plaguing our communities, and it is fueling the opioid epidemic that is ravaging families across the country,” U.S. Attorney Randy S. Grossman said, according to the release. “The conviction of a pain doctor abusing his power and position to distribute highly addictive and dangerous oxycodone and fentanyl sends a strong message to any medical professional acting outside the regular course of practice and prescribing opioids without a legitimate medical need.”
The release states that the jury also found the defendant provided another friend with oxycodone and fentanyl to sell and pay for the cocaine they used, per the release. Prior to trial in court, the defendant pleaded guilty to being an addict in possession of approximately seven firearms.
According to the release, some of the evidence the jury relied on included Puana’s falsified clinic files, a handwritten notebook, pharmacy records, text messages, other business records, testimony of his closest friends, federal agents, a forensic accountant, a medical expert and police officers.
The release states that sentencing will take place Sept. 12 at 1:30 p.m.
