Dallas Doctors Banned from Prescribing Opioids, Fined $1.2M

Two Dallas-area doctors have been permanently banned from prescribing opioids and fined $1.2 million for violating the Controlled SubstancesPhoto byAndreas RasmussenonUnsplash

Two Dallas-area physicians, Cesar B. Pena Rodriguez, M.D., and Leovares A. Mendez, M.D., have been permanently banned from prescribing opioids and other controlled substances and ordered to pay a total of $1.2 million in civil penalties, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced today.

The ruling follows a 2019 civil complaint in which the United States alleged that the doctors violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) by issuing prescriptions for opioids and other drugs outside the bounds of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose, the department says.

"Prescribing opioids for no legitimate purpose betrays the trust placed in our medical professionals and significantly threatens the communities they serve," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton of the DOJ’s Civil Division. "The Justice Department will continue to use every available tool to stop doctors who fail to uphold their obligation to prescribe controlled substances lawfully."

According to the DOJ, the doctors issued thousands of prescriptions without regard for patient harm, including the notorious "trinity" drug cocktail—a combination of opioids, benzodiazepines, and muscle relaxers—known for its high risk of abuse. The court imposed a $291,451 civil penalty on Mendez and a $914,021 judgment against Pena Rodriguez.

“These doctors sought to profit from addiction rather than healing vulnerable members of our community,” stated U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton for the Northern District of Texas. The consent judgments permanently bar both doctors from ever prescribing controlled substances or holding DEA registrations.

In related criminal cases, Pena Rodriguez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances and was sentenced to two years in prison.

Mendez, found guilty at trial, received a seven-year sentence for conspiracy and unlawful distribution of controlled substances, the department stated.