ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A physician from Arlington was sentenced to a decade in prison for her role in illegally prescribing and distributing over a million oxycodone pills. The sentencing occurred today following her conviction.
Kirsten Van Steenberg Ball, 69, ran a medical practice from her home. Court records show that Ball utilized her office manager to recruit individuals, including the manager’s own family members, to receive large quantities of oxycodone prescriptions. Candie Marie Calix, the office manager and also a patient of Ball, was implicated in selling the prescribed medication.
Ball prescribed as many as 360 oxycodone 30-mg pills monthly to her patients, often splitting the prescriptions to conceal the large quantities. Despite evident signs of drug dependence and abuse among her patients, Ball continued her prescribing practices. The investigation linked three of Ball’s patients’ deaths to drug overdoses, highlighting the dangerous extent of her overprescribing.
Ball also faced accusations of falsifying records during investigations by the Virginia Department of Health Professions. This was to cover her tracks for prescribing oxycodone without legitimate medical reasons.
On December 12, 2023, Ball was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and 19 counts of its distribution. Previously, on September 28, 2022, Calix received a seven-year prison sentence for her involvement in the conspiracy.
The court also mandated Ball to forfeit $750,000 and contribute $50,000 towards community restitution. This payment is aimed at supporting substance abuse programs within Virginia, marking a first of its kind in the Eastern District of Virginia.