Click here for a copy of the Hampers indictment
September 7, 2010
LOUIS HAMPERS INDICTED BY FEDERAL GRAND JURY ON CHARGES OF CONSPIRACY AND OBTAINING A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE BY FRAUD AND DECEIT
DENVER – Louis Constantine Hampers, M.D., age 45, of Denver, Colorado, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on August 26, 2010, for charges of conspiracy to obtain, and obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and deceit, United States Attorney John Walsh and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Sweetin announced. The indictment charging Hampers was sealed pending his arrest. The arrest took place today without incident in Virginia. Hampers made his initial appearance U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Virginia this afternoon, where he was advised of the charges pending against him.
According to the indictment, count one alleges that between January 2009 and April 5, 2010, Hampers, who is also known as Mark Hampton, Marc O’Hara, Carl O’Hanlon, Lou Gray, or Louis Gray, did knowingly conspire with others both known and unknown the grand jury, to acquire Hydrocodone (generic Vicodin), a Schedule III controlled substance, and Zolpidem (generic Ambien), a Schedule IV controlled substance, by fraud and deceit. The indictment also includes 654 counts of obtaining a controlled substance, including Hydrocodone, Zolpidem, Diazepam (generic Valium), and in one instance, Methylphenid (generic Ritalin), by fraud and deceit. Each count represents a transaction where Hampers illegally obtained a prescription.
In total, Hampers illegally obtained over 20,000 tablets of Hydrocodone during the time period in question. The medication was obtained at multiple different pharmacies using five different aliases and eight different patient names.
“Doctors who use fraudulent prescriptions to obtain large quantities of drugs are not above the law,” said U.S. Attorney John Walsh. “There are clear criminal consequences to anyone – including a doctor – who uses fraud and deceit to obtain prescription medication in violation of the law.”
“The large amount of drugs Dr. Hampers is alleged to have acquired illegally is a concern regarding the public safety,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey D. Sweetin. “Although rare, drug violations involving medical professionals do sometimes occur. When violations do occur, DEA is dedicated to pursue such investigations as warranted.”
If convicted, the defendant faces not more than 4 years in federal prison, and up to a $250,000 fine, for one count of conspiracy to obtain controlled substances by fraud and deceit. The defendant also faces not more than 4 years in federal prison, and up to a $250,000 fine, for each of the 654 counts of obtaining controlled substances by fraud and deceit.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Hampers is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Holloway.
The charges contained in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
#####
