Lexington Criminal Defense And Family Law Blog

Possible fentanyl distribution contribute to drug conviction

On behalf of Green Chesnut & Hughes PLLC posted in drug crimes on Wednesday, June 19, 2019.

The opioid drug crisis continues to plague Kentucky and the nation as people continue to succumb to opioid overdoses. There are varying sources used to obtain illegal drugs and one recent case alleges that a pharmacist from Williamsburg was involved in illegally dispensing opioid drugs. Opioids include medications such as fentanyl, oxycodone and other powerful pain medications. The pharmacist was convicted, sentenced to more than six years in prison and must also pay a $5,000 fine.

The woman had operated the pharmacy from 2008 to 20018 when the charges were brought against her. She originally faced additional charges in connection with illegal drug distribution but was acquitted of them. The jury convicted her on seven charges of illegally dispensing prescription medications.

The far-reaching impact of a criminal conviction

On behalf of Green Chesnut & Hughes PLLC on Tuesday, June 18, 2019.

If you get a criminal conviction, it can impact your life in various ways. Not only may you potentially face fines and jail time, but it may affect your employment, government benefits, finances and overall reputation.

Criminal convictions have far-reaching consequences that you may not know about. Here are some ways a criminal record can change your life.

Overly restrictive employment contracts impact retirement

On behalf of Green Chesnut & Hughes PLLC posted in employment law on Thursday, June 6, 2019.

People in Kentucky and all around the country are living longer and healthier lives. One of the results of this is that people look to continue working longer, either for personal or financial reasons. Until recently, a person retired from working for the State of Kentucky risked losing retirement benefits if he or she did not comply with employment contracts that stipulated the terms of re-employment following retirement.

These rules were spelled out in a law that stated that if a person participating in Kentucky Retirement Systems (KRS) did not receive clearance to accept a new position, all retirement benefits paid to date could be forfeited. This would apply regardless of how long one had been retired, and it did not matter if one was returning to work in government or in the private sector. Approximately 8,500 re-employment requests are received annually by KRS, or about 40 per day. Delays in processing them could result in lost job opportunities for retirees.

Question on medical billing in Medicare and Medicaid fraud

On behalf of Green Chesnut & Hughes PLLC posted in white collar crimes on Tuesday, May 21, 2019.

The elderly population is growing at a rapid rate in Kentucky and around the nation. As people age, health may deteriorate, and it can be difficult to know when a symptom is serious and when it is not. Doctors will often counsel patients to err on the side of caution and if there is any doubt to call for an ambulance. A case of Medicare and Medicaid fraud was recently brought against an ambulance company.

The company, in Breathitt County, was charged with transporting patients when their conditions did not warrant it. The case alleged that employees entered false information on claims in order to justify the transport. The owner of the ambulance company was fined $240,000 and sentenced to a year and a day in prison. The owner's wife and a manager of the company were both given probation for their alleged participation.

Accusation of healthcare fraud can be daunting

On behalf of Green Chesnut & Hughes PLLC posted in white collar crimes on Thursday, May 9, 2019.

The first sound a pregnant mother hears from the child she carries is its heartbeat. The heart starts beating very early during gestation and continues beating until the end of one's life. As Kentucky's population ages, the business of keeping hearts healthy is a very important one. Cardiologists are instrumental in keeping hearts beating longer so people can enjoy longer and healthier lives. Tests and procedures are a fundamental part of the business, but the appearance of impropriety in administering them can lead to charges of fraud.

In a recent case, a cardiologist from the eastern part of the state was convicted of health care fraud. He was accused of performing unnecessary cardiac procedures. The doctor was a practicing physician at King's Daughters Medical Center in Kentucky. An anonymous complaint received by the hospital stated that the cardiologist was performing unnecessary procedures, which led to an investigation that resulted in the charges of alleged fraud.

Can a drug conviction impact financial aid eligibility?

On behalf of Green Chesnut & Hughes PLLC on Friday, April 26, 2019.

Chances are, when you become a parent, you expect that your child will sometimes act out, but you probably hope that he or she will get most of that out of his or her system before starting college. Regrettably, though, many teens and young adults experiment with alcohol or drugs once they enter their college years, even though doing so can potentially lead to some very serious consequences.

If law enforcement officers, for example, charge your college student with a drug-related crime and that charge ultimately results in a conviction, your child may lose his or her chance to continue to receive financial aid in the aftermath. This loss of financial aid eligibility can come in addition to a broad range of other penalties, among them fines, fees and possible time behind bars. Also, the loss of access to financial aid can make it substantially harder, or impossible, for your child to continue his or her education.

Investigation of drug crimes results in multiple arrests

On behalf of Green Chesnut & Hughes PLLC posted in drug crimes on Monday, April 22, 2019.

The opioid addiction crisis continues to rage throughout the United States. Kentucky is one of the hardest hit areas, ranking 5th in overdose deaths in 2017, the most recent year for which complete numbers are available. In an effort to stem the flow of the drugs, a recent federal investigation culminated in many arrests and drug crimes charges. A Kentucky doctor from Sycamore Township was among those arrested.

The federal investigation involved many physicians in a number of areas across Appalachia. One Kentucky doctor was accused of prescribing opioids via Facebook. He allegedly signed prescriptions without ever seeing or personally meeting patients. There are said to be 60 people who have been accused.

An accusation of fraud is a potentially serious offense

On behalf of Green Chesnut & Hughes PLLC posted in white collar crimes on Thursday, April 11, 2019.

Medicare and Medicaid are both very large complex bureaucracies. Navigating that bureaucracy can be a challenge for anyone in Kentucky or elsewhere. A health care fraud case in another state recently implicated a health care executive in what is considered to be the largest Medicare fraud case ever.

The accused man was charged with paying kickbacks to entice doctors to recommend patients to his nursing homes over a period of seven years. He was also accused of bribery related to paying a regulator to inform him in advance of nursing home inspection visits. The individual owns several homes across the country.

Child custody can be complicated

On behalf of Green Chesnut & Hughes PLLC posted in child custody on Tuesday, March 26, 2019.

Divorce is never easy and seldom entered into lightly in Kentucky, especially when young children are involved. While there are many issues that need to be settled and negotiated in a divorce, child custody can be one of the most challenging. It can be fraught with emotion, and the well-being of the children, which should be the first consideration, can get lost in the ensuing conversations. Understanding custody in a legal sense may be helpful.

There are two parts to custody: physical custody and legal custody. Physical custody refers to the parent with whom the child spends the majority of his or her time. Legal custody involves who has the right to make decisions for the child. These decisions include who makes decisions on issues ranging from school trips to health care decisions. Legal custody can be shared meaning each parent has equal say in making decisions.

Stolen truck leads to charges of drug crimes

On behalf of Green Chesnut & Hughes PLLC posted in drug crimes on Thursday, March 14, 2019.

The drug problem plaguing the country continues to be a serious problem in Kentucky. A recent stolen vehicle case led to multiple charges being brought against three people. The three have been accused of drug crimes and at last report were being held in Graves County Jail.

A detective encountered an abandoned vehicle and apparently determined that it had been reported as stolen. The truck was believed to have been stolen by a man who was possibly armed. A warrant was issued for the man's arrest. According to reports, the suspect was possibly armed with two handguns.