HOUSTON - A 45-year-old Houston resident has been charged with conspiring to violate the federal anti-kickback statute and receiving at least $320,000 in illegal kickback payments from a local Houston pharmacy, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Dontrey Lamon Eason turned himself in to law enforcement agents yesterday. He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy K. Johnson at 2:00 p.m. today.
The criminal information, filed today, alleges Eason and another individual entered into an agreement with Piney Point Pharmacy to receive $5,000 along with 40% of the payments the pharmacy received from the Federal Employees Compensation Act health care benefits program (FECA). Eason allegedly solicited a physician in Corpus Christi to send prescriptions to the pharmacy. Eason also had access to patient and pharmacy records to check the status of referrals, according to the complaint.
Eason allegedly received $320,608 from Piney Point Pharmacy who billed the FECA program $2,082,996 for referred prescriptions.
Conspiracy to pay kickbacks carries a possible sentence of five years as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Piney Point Pharmacy was charged in January 2018 with numerous violations of federal law, including conspiracy, health care fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. Trial is set for Oct. 15, 2018.
This case was the result of a joint investigation with the U.S. Postal Service - Office of Inspector General (OIG), Department of Labor - OIG, Department of Veterans Affairs - OIG and Department of Homeland Security - OIG. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Redlinger is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
