Derek Curtis, 63, of Seabrook, Maryland, pleaded guilty this week to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances including Oxydodone, and to distributing cocaine from his dental office.

According to the plea agreement presented to the court, Curtis was a dentist licensed to distribute controlled substances in the course of his dental practice at 5812 Marlboro Pike, Forestville, Maryland.  However, Curtis wrote prescriptions for schedule II controlled substances, including Oxycodone, commonly referred to as Percocet, as well as prescriptions for an antibiotic, which were unrelated to dental treatment and written in the names of individuals who were not receiving dental treatment.  Curtis gave the prescriptions to coconspirators who took the prescriptions to area pharmacies, and returned to Curtis’ office with some of the Schedule II pills. Curtis would frequently write the prescriptions in other names to avoid detection.  From January  1997 to October 2004, Curtis wrote prescriptions for more than 26,290 pills containing oxycodone that were not for dental treatment.

In the Spring of 2004, Curtis sold prescriptions for Percocet to a confidential source. During one of the sales, Curtis offered to obtain cocaine. Curtis advised the source that he obtained the cocaine from his cousin.  Curtis said he would go to his cousin’s barbershop, purchase the cocaine and then bring it back to his dental office. Curtis sold the cocaine that same day to whoever wanted to buy.  On March 5, 2004, Curtis received $300 from the confidential source, traveled to his cousin’s barbershop and returned to his dental office where he gave approximately 8 grams of cocaine to the confidential source. Curtis made at least one additional sale to the confidential source. The total amount of cocaine distributed to the confidential source was 16.32 grams.

Curtis faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release and a $1 million fine as to both offenses. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow  scheduled sentencing for Feb. 5.