PIKEVILLE, Ky. – A federal jury in Pikeville has convicted a Kentucky physician and a nurse on drug related charges.
The jury handed down its decision late Thursday convicting Crystal Compton, D.O., 43, and a nurse, Kayla Lambert, 36, of conspiracy to illicitly prescribe controlled substances and related offenses. Compton was also convicted of 44 counts of unlawfully distributing controlled substances.
During the relevant timeframe, Compton was a licensed physician who practiced in several medical clinics in the Pikeville area. Lambert was a nurse who also worked at these medical clinics.
According to evidence presented at trial, Compton and Lambert conspired to unlawfully distribute controlled substances using prescriptions that were not written for a legitimate medical purpose, within the usual course of professional practice. Compton and Lambert issued prescriptions for significant quantities and dosages of opioid painkillers, including oxycodone, methadone, and hydrocodone, sometimes in combination with other controlled substances, such as alprazolam and clonazepam. Compton also provided multiple prescriptions to Lambert for 180 oxycodone 30mg pills. Evidence also established that Lambert sometimes issued illegitimate controlled substance prescriptions by signing Compton’s name to prescriptions.
Compton and Lambert are scheduled to be sentenced on January 30th, 2024. The maximum penalty for the drug trafficking conspiracy and the individual counts of unlawful distribution of controlled substances is 20 years, for Schedule II controlled substances, and five years, for Schedule IV controlled substances. The maximum penalty for conspiring to misuse a DEA registration is 4 years. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence. The defendants also face potential fines, forfeiture of their licenses, a forfeiture money judgment, and a judgment of restitution, as ordered by the Court.
The DEA conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Smith represented the United States in the case.
