Physician charged in federal court

Dr. Larry Borja Hocog was indicted in federal court for alleged distribution of controlled substance from September to November 2007.

Hocog was charged with one count of distribution of oxycodone hydrochloride and one count of distribution of meperidine.

At yesterday’s hearing, Hocog appeared with counsel, Ramon Quichocho. He pleaded not guilty.

U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Alex R. Munson set the jury trial for June 23, 2008.

Munson ordered that the defendant be released on a $10,000 unsecured bond.

The judge said Hocog shall not prescribe any medication or controlled substance for which he does not have a license in the CNMI.

Hocog is prohibited from leaving the CNMI without written permission from the court.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric S. O’Malley stated in the indictment that beginning on Sept. 4, 2007 and continuing until Nov. 30, 2007, the defendant, a medical doctor, dispensed oxycodone hydrochloride, a controlled substance.

O’Malley said the doctor distributed the controlled substance despite a restriction on his Drug Enforcement Administration controlled substance registration certificate and his CNMI license to practice medicine.

The prosecutor said that on Sept. 4, 2007 until Nov. 26, 2007, Hocog distributed a controlled substance, meperidine (commonly known as demerol).

O’Malley said the doctor dispensed the meperidine despite a restriction on his Drug Enforcement Administration controlled substance registration certificate and his CNMI license to practice medicine.

In March 2003, the Attorney General’s Office filed 194 counts of violation of the Medical Practice Act and against Hocog for engaging in illegal practice of medicine on Rota for two years.

Hocog was also then charged with two counts of disturbing the peace for threatening to kill and fire two pharmacists on Rota.

According to an information filed by then assistant attorney general Grant D. Sanders, the defendant practiced medicine 138 times when his medical license was expired, suspended or revoked from March to December 2001.

Sanders said Hocog also practiced medicine 56 times when his medical license was expired, suspended or revoked from January to September 2002.

The prosecutor said that on Sept. 4, 2002 the defendant disturbed the peace of Erlinda Quinto and Sheila Yamat.

Sanders said Hocog threatened to kill and fire Quinto and Yamat, both pharmacists, when they refused to fill the defendant’s prescription upon learning he was not licensed to order such prescription.

Court documents also showed that a complaint was filed before the CNMI Medical Licensing Board against Hocog for allegedly engaging in unprofessional conduct by receiving personally $35 for each 50 alien worker examinations he performed.

Hocog also allegedly personally received $35 for each 47 alien worker examinations he performed.

In 2001 approximately 1,000 alien worker examinations were conducted at the Rota Health Center, but Hocog was without a license causing each examination to be invalid, the complaint said.

It was also alleged that Hocog engaged in questionable practices concerning the prescription of controlled substances from the Rota pharmacy facilities.

The MLB in its decision issued in 2002 determined that Hocog did engage in the practice of medicine from February 2001 until April 2002 and from July 2002 until Sept. 10, 2002 while unlicensed by the board.

But Hocog brought to court the MLB’s decision that found him engaging in unprofessional conduct by practicing medicine without a valid license.

Hocog, through counsel, asserted that the MLB’s action is contrary to constitutional right, power, privilege or immunity.

It was not clear yet what happened to the charges in the Superior Court as well as the outcome of his lawsuit against MLB.