ALTOONA – Attorney General Tom Corbett Wednesday announced that agents from the Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation have arrested an Altoona doctor accused of trading prescription drugs for sexual favors and improperly prescribing potentially addictive drugs to individuals who were not his patients.
Corbett identified the defendant as Dr. Ralph W. Crawford Jr., 65, of Altoona.
The criminal charges state that between January 2003 and April 2005, Crawford provided prescriptions for powerful and potentially addictive pain medications such as Oxycontin, Fentanyl, Percocet and Vicodin to several Altoona area women in exchange for sexual favors.
Corbett said that according to the criminal complaint, Crawford provided prescriptions to several female patients in exchange for sexual activity that occurred at his Altoona office or at the patients’ apartments.
According to the criminal charges, Crawford also provided prescriptions to a woman who had accused Crawford of sexual assault.
Corbett said the prescriptions Crawford allegedly provided to these women were often written in the names of other family members or friends, in an attempt to avoid alerting authorities. These prescriptions were also provided to individuals who were not Crawford’s patients, with no medical exams and no legitimate medical purpose.
The criminal charges state that Crawford delivered the prescriptions to the women’s homes or left them on the windshield of his parked car. On several occasions, BNI agents observed Crawford driving to the homes of women who had requested prescriptions and placing the prescriptions into their roadside mailboxes.
Additionally, the charges state that Crawford provided prescriptions for addictive drugs to individuals who were already drug-dependent, as well as to individuals who indicated that they planned to sell the pills.
Corbett said that during telephone calls monitored by BNI agents, Crawford allegedly expressed concern about getting arrested and advised one of the women to be careful selling the prescription drugs.
According to the criminal complaint, in April 2005 Dr. Crawford helped one of his patients flee Altoona in order to keep her from cooperating with authorities who were investigating the source of illegal prescription drugs in the Altoona area. Crawford allegedly gave the woman $200 and a prescription for Percocet, indicating that she could sell the drugs for enough money to buy an airline ticket from Altoona to Georgia.
Corbett said Crawford also faces charges of Medicaid fraud for allegedly providing prescriptions to Medical Assistance recipients who were not examined or treated by the doctor, were not required for any legitimate medical condition, or were provided for criminal purposes.
“Prescription drug abuse is a major problem here in Pennsylvania and across the nation,” Corbett said. “Doctors who write medically unnecessary prescriptions for personal gain are a primary source of this problem and my office is committed investigating and prosecuting any health care professional who illegally prescribes or distributes prescription drugs.”
Corbett said Crawford is charged with 11 counts of prescribing a controlled substance beyond accepted professional practice; two counts of prostitution (patronizing prostitutes); two counts of criminal conspiracy; and one count each of Medicaid fraud, hindering apprehension or prosecution and prescribing a controlled substance to a known drug-dependent person.
Crawford was preliminarily arraigned today before Altoona Magisterial District Judge Todd F. Kelly and released on his own recognizance.
The case will be tried in Blair County by District Attorney Richard Consiglio’s office.
Corbett thanked the Blair County District Attorney’s office and the Altoona Police Department for their cooperation and assistance with this investigation.