Home San Antonio Press Releases 2010 State Representative Tara R. Rios Ybarra and Two Other Area Dentists Charged in Health Care Fraud Kickback Scheme...
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State Representative Tara R. Rios Ybarra and Two Other Area Dentists Charged in Health Care Fraud Kickback Scheme

U.S. Attorney’s Office June 23, 2010
  • Southern District of Texas (713) 567-9000

BROWNSVILLE, TX—Texas House of Representatives member and dentist Tara R. Rios Ybarra DDS, of South Padre Island, Texas, along with Diana Woo Paparelli DDS, 57, and Colbert J. Glenn DDS, 49, of McAllen, Texas, have been indicted for allegedly illegally refering Medicaid beneficiaries to Gary Morgan Schwarz DDS in exchange for remuneration, United States Attorney José Angel Moreno and Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott announced today.

The 22-count indictment returned under seal on June 15, 2010, was partially unsealed yesterday following the arrest of Gary Morgan Schwarz DDS, MSD, along with two of his office employees and two other area dentists. Rios Ybarra, 38, who has her own private dental practice in Brownsville and also represents District 43 in the Texas House of Representatives, surrendered herself to U.S. Marshals this morning at the U.S. Courthouse in Brownsville. Paparelli and Glenn surrendered themselves to federal authorities in McAllen just before noon today. As a result of the surrender of these three defendants, the indictment has now been ordered unsealed as to all defendants. Rios Ybarra appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Felix Recio in Brownsville and ordered released on a $100,000 unsecured bond. Paparelli and Glenn are expected to appeared before a U.S. Magistrate in McAllen at 3:00 p.m. today.

Rios Ybarra is charged in counts 17 through 19 of a 22-count indictment with allegedly illegally referring Medicaid beneficiaries to Schwarz in exchange for 15 percent of the total payment made by Medicaid to Schwarz for all referred beneficiaries. Paparelli and Glenn are similarly charged in counts 11 through 13 of the same indictment.

All three defendants face a maximum punishment of up to five years in prison and a fine not to exceed $25,000 for each offense upon conviction.

The investigation leading to the charges in this case was conducted by the FBI and the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn Ferko is prosecuting the case.

An Indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.

The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted through due process of law.

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