Another Las Vegas doctor arrested in prescription drugs case

Another Las Vegas physician has been arrested in a federal crackdown on prescription drug abuse.

A federal indictment unsealed Wednesday charged Sebastian M. Paulin Jr. with six counts of distribution of controlled substances, four counts of money laundering and one count of structuring transactions to evade reporting requirements. The government also is seeking forfeiture of $1.2 million.

Paulin, 65, was taken into custody on Wednesday and then released on his own recognizance.

He was charged with selling prescriptions for large quantities of addictive painkillers without medical necessity and depositing the proceeds in a manner designed to avoid tax laws.

"Our office will continue working aggressively with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to attack the growing problem of prescription drug abuse," U.S. Attorney Daniel Bogden said in a news release.

"A major part of our effort has included the targeting and investigation of local physicians and pharmacists who are writing and selling prescriptions that are not being issued for a legitimate medical purpose or in the usual course of professional practice."

The indictment charged that between March 2010 and August 2011, Paulin sold prescriptions for the painkillers oxycodone and hydrocodone to people who did not medically need them.

Paulin, who maintained a medical practice at 620 E. Twain Ave., circumvented currency transaction reporting laws when he deposited the cash earned from the sales into personal bank accounts, the indictment charged. He made or assisted in making 69 cash deposits totaling $689,291, the indictment said.

According to prosecutors, the abuse of prescription drugs is a growing drug problem in Nevada and the United States. In Clark County, there are more pharmaceutical-related deaths than methamphetamine-, heroin- and cocaine-related deaths combined.

"Since January 2010," Bogden said, "our office has filed federal criminal charges against over 70 individuals, including three doctors and a pharmacist, for unlawfully distributing highly addictive prescription painkillers."

In late September, Bogden announced the indictment of an 87-year-old physician, his assistant and a pharmacist on charges of conspiring to unlawfully distribute oxycodone.

Dr. Henri Wetselaar and David Litwin, 52, both of Las Vegas, and pharmacist Jason C. Smith, 43, of Michigan were charged in a 23-count indictment.

In May, federal prosecutors charged another physician, James Tinnell, 74, with selling prescriptions for painkillers. Tinnell pleaded guilty last month to one count of distribution of controlled substances. His sentencing is Feb. 3.

Contact Jeff German at jgerman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-8135.