Criminal Complaint Filed Against Suspended Nurse Practitioner for Illegal Prescriptions

PITTSBURGH – Larry J. Goisse, Jr., 34, of Pittsburgh, Pa., has been charged by federal criminal complaint with illegal distribution of Schedule II controlled substances, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

According to the federal criminal complaint filed in this case, Goisse is a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner who owns and operates Prime Psychiatric Care, LLC, which has two offices in Pittsburgh. The complaint alleges that after Goisse’s Pennsylvania state medical licenses were revoked by the Commonwealth in July of 2018, Goisse continued to practice medicine and prescribe controlled substances to various individuals. Specifically, the complaint alleges that from September 11, 2018 through January 28, 2019, Goisse authorized 429 prescriptions for Schedule II and/or Schedule IV controlled substances to individuals, and that approximately 294 of those prescriptions, totaling 13,177 tablets, were for Schedule II drugs containing amphetamine. Because Goisse does not maintain a valid state medical license, he does not have the legal authority to authorize prescriptions for controlled substances.

Goisse was arrested today and is scheduled to make an initial appearance in federal court on Friday, February 1, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. before Magistrate Judge Robert C. Mitchell. Assistant United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

The investigation leading to the filing of charges in these cases was conducted by the Western Pennsylvania Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit (OFADU). The Western Pennsylvania OFADU, led by federal prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, combines the expertise and resources of federal and state law enforcement to address the role played by unethical medical professionals in the opioid epidemic. This unit has investigated and prosecuted more corrupt health care professionals than any other U.S. Attorney’s Office in the country.

The agencies which comprise the Western Pennsylvania OFADU include: Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General – Bureau of Narcotic Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Attorney’s Office – Criminal Division, Civil Division and Asset Forfeiture Unit, Department of Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General, Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations, U.S. Office of Personnel Management – Office of Inspector General and the Pennsylvania Bureau of Licensing.

A criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.