The United States announced on May 1 that it has filed a civil complaint in federal court alleging that a New Mexico psychologist unlawfully prescribed controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose, violating the Controlled Substances Act.
The case is significant as it raises concerns about patient safety and the proper oversight of prescription medications. The government alleges that Rick Q. Wilson, also known as Henry Quintero, issued more than 21,000 prescriptions for controlled substances between 2017 and 2020. Many of these prescriptions were for high-dose benzodiazepines such as Xanax and were sometimes combined with other central nervous system depressants like Ambien.
According to the complaint, Wilson often prescribed these drugs without conducting adequate examinations or developing individualized treatment plans. The filing claims he failed to monitor patients properly or use tools such as drug screening and the state’s prescription monitoring program. The government also alleges that Wilson ignored warning signs of misuse and diversion by prescribing to patients with substance use disorders and continuing prescriptions despite evidence of abuse or non-use.
The complaint links Wilson’s prescribing practices to multiple patient deaths caused by drug toxicity shortly after receiving prescriptions. Authorities further allege he accepted primarily cash payments for these services.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison said the United States seeks civil penalties for each alleged unlawful prescription. Omar Arellano, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Division, joined Ellison in making the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation into this matter, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean M. Cunniff and Auditor Phillip Stella are leading enforcement efforts on behalf of the government.
