ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Oakton, Va., dentist was arrested today accused of illegally obtaining prescription pain pills for himself and distributing them to patients and women he dated.

            Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and James W. McJunkin, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement. 

Hamada Makarita, 50, of Oakton, Va., was charged with distributing a controlled substance, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. He will make an initial appearance in Alexandria federal court at 2 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge T. Rawles Jones Jr.

            According to a criminal complaint affidavit, Makarita owns and operates a dental practice on Chain Bridge Road in Oakton, Va., and advertised online at www.fixasmile.com. He allegedly called in prescriptions under the names of his employees and patients that were not medically necessary. In addition, Makarita also is alleged to have prescribed medication to patients prior to dental procedures and then required the patients to return their remaining pills to him.

            The affidavit alleges that in 2008 and 2009 Makarita began to illegally obtain prescription medications as he proceeded through a divorce. He is accused of providing women he dated with prescription medicines during their dates, bragging that he caused them to pass out, and taking explicit photos of them while they were under the influence of the drugs. The complaint alleges that one of Makarita’s female patients engaged in a two-year sexual relationship with him, and she received prescription narcotics from Makarita during their relationship. She allegedly received the medicine for her drug habit and not related to dental treatment.

            According to the affidavit, from January 2007 through January 2010, Makarita illegally obtained nearly 2,000 prescription pills that were not related to his dental practice, including various forms of highly addictive pain medicines and sedatives.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office.  Special Assistant United States Attorney Mazen Basrawi is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

            This case is part of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”)  investigation (Operation “Cotton Candy”), which has been focusing on the illegal distribution by numerous doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and patients of pain medication. This OCDETF matter has secured more than 200 drug-trafficking convictions and guilty pleas.

Criminal complaints are only charges and not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.

 

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