State drops charges against one UPMC doctor in pill scheme, other pleads guilty

A judge on Thursday dropped state criminal charges against one of two UPMC doctors caught up in charges they illegally prescribed thousands of opioid painkillers.

Magisterial District Judge Daniel Butler withdrew two felony charges of conspiracy and illegal prescribing in the case of Dr. Omar Almusa, court records show. He still faces federal charges.

Almusa and Dr. Marios Papachristou, both UPMC radiologists, were charged by UPMC police in March for allegedly prescribing nearly 10,000 painkillers to just five people over the course of two years — including Papachristou's wife and a friend of Almusa.

Papachristou, 43, pleaded guilty Thursday to his federal charges of health care fraud and unlawful prescribing. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct 10.

Papachristou still faces criminal conspiracy and drug charges. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 24.

Both have been suspended by UPMC, and both have been indicted on federal charges as well.

Almusa, 45, faces 88 federal charges relating to health care fraud and controlled substance abuse. His attorney told Tribune-Review news partner WPXI-TV that his client is dealing with things as they come.

“My client is taking it very seriously and he is working to address the situation and anything that is coming down the road we're going to deal with as time goes forward,” David Cercone said.

“Today's guilty plea marks the first conviction in a case investigated by the Western Pennsylvania Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit, a Department of Justice initiative that uses data to target and prosecute individuals that commit opioid-related health care fraud,” U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady said in a statement. “The data we are receiving provides important information about prescription opioids, prescribers and pharmacies that is being used to start or strengthen our investigations.”

Megan Guza is a Tribune-Review staff writer.