Doctor’s office employee indicted

A federal grand jury in Buffalo has returned seven indictments charging nine people in connection with the use of fraudulently issued and forged prescriptions for controlled substances, according to U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul Jr.

The controlled substances, primarily Opana and Oxycontin, were dispensed in Niagara and Erie counties. Among those indicted is Dawn Figurilli, the former office manager for Dr. Pravin V. Mehta, whose medical practice was in Niagara Falls until closing in January after Mehta was charged with illegal distribution of controlled substances.

Mehta is accused of issuing prescriptions for controlled substances to patients without a proper medical exam and outside the norms of professional medical treatment.

Figurilli, 48, was indicted along with her daughter, Shannon Figurilli, and charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and health care fraud.

Also indicted are James Respress, 53, of Niagara Falls; Bari McHugh, 37, of Niagara Falls; Chantel Stypick, 32, a former Mehta employee; Ashley Fose, 27, of Niagara Falls; Darlene Printup, 29, of Lewiston; Teresa Gansworth, 25, of Sanborn, a former Mehta employee; and Robert Bradley, 30, of Niagara Falls.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Rogowski said the indictments allege the defendants presented prescriptions they knew were false and fraudulent in order to obtain controlled substances. Printup, Gansworth and Fose were also charged with possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. McHugh, Stypick, Gansworth and Fose were also charged with health care fraud for using their Medicaid accounts to pay for the controlled substances. 

Another Niagara Falls resident, William Henderson, was previously indicted as part of the investigation.