Federal Court Prohibits Traverse City Physician From Prescribing Controlled Substances In Opioid Diversion Case

DOJ Press

          GRAND RAPIDS – Samuel P. Copeland, D.O., located in Traverse City, Michigan, entered into a settlement with the United States in which he agreed to a court order to never prescribe controlled substances.  According to the terms of the consent decree that U.S. District Court Judge Paul L. Maloney entered, Dr. Copeland also agreed to surrender his controlled substance registration with the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) and to pay a civil penalty of $50,000 to resolve allegations filed in a civil complaint by the United States that he unlawfully prescribed controlled substances to patients.   The civil penalty amount was negotiated based on Dr. Copeland’s ability to pay.

          In its complaint, filed on October 27, 2021, the United States alleged that Dr. Copeland issued prescriptions for controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of professional practice in violation of the Controlled Substances Act.  For example, the United States alleged that Dr. Copeland ignored warnings from fellow practitioners, pharmacists, and insurers that his prescribing was illegitimate and dangerous, including prescribing a highly-abused cocktail of opioids, benzodiazepines, and carisoprodol—a dangerous combination commonly known as the “Holy Trinity.”  The government also alleged that Dr. Copeland ignored failed drug screen tests showing that patients were taking illicit drugs or not taking the medications he prescribed, and that he prescribed large opioid doses that far exceeded national guidelines for chronic pain management.

          The United States also alleged in its complaint that Dr. Copeland’s unlawful prescribing had consequences: “Scores of Dr. Copeland’s patients received dangerously high doses of opioids, including combinations with other drugs. Some of these patients, for whom it was common knowledge that Dr. Copeland would over prescribe narcotics for little to no medical reason, shared their drugs with others or sold them on the street.  And many of Dr. Copeland’s patients overdosed on the controlled substances he prescribed.”

          “The Court’s entry of this consent decree prohibiting Dr. Copeland from ever prescribing controlled substances demonstrates the seriousness of these allegations,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew B. Birge.  “The opioid epidemic continues to plague our communities, and my office will work tirelessly with DEA and other law enforcement to use all tools necessary to enforce compliance with controlled substance prescribing laws.”


          “It is imperative that physicians uphold their obligations to properly prescribe controlled substances,” said DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Kent R. Kleinschmidt, Detroit Field Division.  “Our nation is in the midst of a public health crisis, and everyone in the medical field, especially physicians, must do their job to help prevent addiction.  DEA will continue to work with all levels of law enforcement to investigate allegations of unlawful prescribing.”


          This case was investigated by DEA’s Tactical Diversion Squad in Grand Rapids and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew J. Hull and Ryan D. Cobb represented the United States.

          The complaint, consent decree, and other filings in this case can be found on the Court’s online docket under United States v. Copeland, No. 1:21-cv-909 (W.D. Mich.).

          The claims resolved by the consent decree are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

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