I wish I would have known him before he lost is licence. S@$t.
A physician was spared prison time Tuesday, partly because of his age and his forfeiture of $200,000 to the government for prescribing narcotics without valid medical reasons.
Dr. Whan Yun, 70, of Wrens, Ga., pleaded guilty in October to the unlawful dispensation of prescriptions. On Tuesday, he was sentenced to five years' probation.
U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen Jr. could have sentenced the physician within the federal sentencing guideline range of 10 to 16 months in prison.
Judge Bowen said he decided to depart from the guidelines because of Dr. Yun's age, forfeiture consent and his years of service and good deeds described by family and friends during Tuesday's hearing.
Defense attorney Pete Theodocion asked the judge to consider the 33 years Dr. Yun served as one of the few family practice physicians in Jefferson County. He also took turns running the hospital's emergency room.
Dr. Yun could not deny that he wrote prescriptions to generate office visit payments, Mr. Theodocion said. But Dr. Yun lost his medical practice because of that, his attorney said.
Agents with the state and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration discovered that Dr. Yun was prescribing narcotics without reason in 2005. A confidential source was equipped with a recording device and sent into Dr. Yun's office. In a single visit, the man received several prescriptions and drug samples to treat pain and impotency.
It wasn't the first time Dr. Yun's prescription practices got him into trouble.
In 1983, the state's physician disciplinary board punished him for prescribing narcotics without legitimate medical reason, and in excessive quantities and frequencies. He was put on probation for five years and forced to surrender his DEA permit to prescribe certain narcotics for two years.
While on probation, Dr. Yun cannot work in the medical field in any capacity. He must also pay a $5,000 fine and perform 150 hours of community service. The first six months will be served on home detention with electronic monitoring.
Reach Sandy Hodson at (706) 823-3226 or sandy.hodson@augustachronicle.com.
DRUG ABUSE
According to the most recent figures from the U.S. Justice Department, about 7 million Americans abused prescription drugs in 2005, up from 3.8 million in 2000.
Comments
I wish I would have known him before he lost is licence. S@$t.
Susan X went there waymore than she should have.
He is not the only doctor that has done what he did. He is just the one who got caught. Not All doctor a guilty of this crime but there are more than just Dr. Yun. He probably was a Mr copy cat who followed Mr cat but while Mr cat keeps writing drug prescriptions, Mr copy cat got his career taking from him. Wow!
The close relationship between hospitals and pharmaceutical companies makes drug dealing a large part of doctoring. When a doctor can no longer operate, dealing and advising is about all that's left. The opportunity to prosecute is more common then many think.
tappat, do you work for this guy or do you know him personaly or do you just not know what your talking about. He's been doing this for years and years, that's a fact, pain pills, diet pills, whatever you want. I say he's the cat and should have had his licsense revoked for good. It's called morals and there are plenty of good doctors to replace him.
Basically, all he got was a slap on the wrist anyway---what kind of lesson does this give any doctor??? They can afford it! They don't care!! Most of these GP's offices, especially in small towns like Wrens look like a cattle parade! In the front door and out the back! You see the doctor for less than ten minutes....and get WHATEVER you want! It all boils down to the bottom line---the almighty dollar!! Same old story--different doctor---SSDD!
What is sad is that the drug companies want us all hooked, every other commercial you see on TV is for drugs. I'm sorry he is old but he should have gotten more than this. I know several people who was getting drugs from this guy. I don't understand all the time and money that went into this investigation and then he gets probation???????
There is absolutely no difference in Dr. Yun and the common drug dealer. Yes, he had a license, but he misused it. I am sure he knew right from wrong and he chose the path of destruction. Look at the potential lives he has ruined. There are not only legal issues, there are moral and ethical issues. His license should have been revolked the first time. There should not be a second chance. People put their lives in the hands of physicians- he does not deserve that trust. I am very disappointed in the sentence. And we have to wonder why the drug problems continue to rise? I think not with people like this. Rules for physicians should be more strict, and they should be held accountable- like Dr. Yun should have- the sentence was just not in line with the crime. No, Dr. Yun is not the only doctor out there doing this, and it has been going on for years and years. It is just time to hold physicians accountable. It makes the many, many physicians who truly practice medicine with the highest moral and ethical values look bad. These are the professionals who are truly valued and are assets the their profession and to their patients.
justus4 you hit the nail dead on the head only God can straighten this place out. If everybody will stop and take note of what is happening everyday. Somewhere is being torn down by nature. Until we can see the light injustice will continue.
This case had nothing to do with drug companies. It was about prescribing controlled drugs without medical reason. It was common knowledge. Wonder why it took so long to get caught?
Dependency on legal drugs is alive and well in Wrens and the surrounding towns. When I asked an older person why he didn't report the small town doctor for giving the drugs to his brother, he said he didn't want to do that, he might need him at some point. What do you say..
There is almost no need for any drugs. Once NAET and EFT get well known there will be such few drugs used that this will be a non-issue and doctor's can doctor instead of just throwing drugs at a problem. Their case load will be so much less they can just doctor as they were trained. Advertising drugs on TV was a bad move. If we just drop sugar, milk and meat(fish instead) from our diet half of the hospitals and doctors would be out of business in 2-3 years easily.
I am a pharmacist in the Augusta,Ga. area. This Dr. should have served time for all the people that he made drug addicts,
CKB, you're 100% correct! At the point of sale he was just a drug dealer. I can't understand all the 33 yrs of good deeds he did. If he was disciplined in 1983 by the medical board for essentially the same thing, he's been doing it for over 20yrs! I also agree that the drug companies would love for all us to be hooked. That's their business, but, they still did not have anything to do with this.
Another one of those imported internet paper diploma doctors that are so prevalent at MCG.
Doctors need to get psychological tests and background searches like FBI and CIA hopefuls because their moral integrity is just as important if not more important than the CIA or FBI because they control the health of the community. Doctors have access to all kinds of commonly abused drugs: marijuana, steriods, and anti-depressants, to name a few. They should be tested every 5 years in my opinion.
It is a shame, again another one bites the dust!!! I think he should have to do jail time......he was already convicited on prescribing illegal drugs in the pass so probation again should not be an option!!! Again, our legal system has failed!!! OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT!!!!
That $200,000 bought his way out of jail. Who gets that money and why? He should be in jail no matter his age. His age did not matter when he was giving people drugs they did not need. I smell a rat in this case. Just who did he pay off......
Disagree with the poster who said Dr. Yun was no different than the common street dealer. Dr Yun was able to afford an attorney who could get him probation, a fine and 150 community service. Common street doesn't have the opportunity for community service. A drug dealer is a drug dealer whether he has a license or not. The courts need to look at equal punishment. Doesn't matter if dealer is a licensed doctor, a registered pharmacist, or a street corner pharmacy technician, the results of their enterprise are the same.
Check out the lawyer.....another well known slimy bottom feeder.....seems we are blessed with the most corrupt and filthy scumbag lawyers around.
This is at least a second time that he was caught and both times all he received was a tap on the fingers and told to sin no more. He should have gone to jail just like any other drrug dealer. I have no sympathy for him and don't care what his age is. How many young people has he destroyed by abusing his license to practice?
Fedupwithaug, if you are that fed up with Augusta, Delta is waiting for you.
Our justice system is broke. This man created drug addicts and no telling how much destruction of family lives. He deserved prison time. Judge Bowen needs to step down as a judge!!
Will Judge Bowen depart from the guidelinies for a rapist, murderer, sexual predator, etc., because of age and previous good deeds? The doctor should have to serve the time.
where is Dr. Carlucci when you need him most ?
he's dead
Justus4, you're way off base criticizing Judge Bowen like that. You have NO IDEA what you're talking about. Next time you slander a man, try to have some basis in fact. If you take exception with his decision, fine, just say so. Just wondering, were you there for the trial, hearings, etc., or are you just shooting off your mouth/keyboard?
Just because there are others out there writing scripts for the wrong reasons, this guy shouldn't have been punished? Right. This guy SHOULD know better because of his age, previous legal issues, and just plain morally wrong. He's played on some already messed up people and should indeed lose his license to practice medicine.
Judge Bowen is a biased, corrupt sleazebag. How's that for slander?
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