ALBANY — A Clifton Park psychiatrist who specialized in addiction recovery has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of distributing controlled substances outside his practice and for no legitimate medical purpose, federal prosecutors in Albany said.
Adrian Morris, M.D., 64, was arrested in July 2018 on charges that he provided prescription drugs to female patients, in some cases in return for personal relationships. His plea in U.S. District Court on Friday was announced by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon; Ray Donovan, special agent in charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration New York Division; and Thomas F. Relford, special agent in charge of the FBI Albany Field Office.
As part of his guilty plea, Morris, who practiced in Schenectady and Troy, admitted that he dispensed controlled substances, including Adderall and Xanax, for no legitimate medical purpose to people he never met or treated. Morris also admitted that he engaged in personal relationships with female patients seeking treatment from him for addiction to controlled substances.
The state Department of Health suspended his medical license following his arrest in 2018. He has practiced medicine in the Capital Region for more than 30 years. Prosecution files indicate that an investigation began in early 2018 after authorities received a tip about improper dispensing of medications by Morris.
Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 16 before U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino. Morris could face up to 20 years in federal prison, as well as at least three years of post-imprisonment supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
This case was investigated by the DEA, FBI, Albany County Sheriff’s Department and the New York State Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, prosecutors said.
Categories: -News-, Saratoga County, Schenectady County
