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Surgeon has medical license suspended
RI Hospital doctor facing federal drug charges
Updated: Friday, 05 Aug 2011, 10:15 AM EDT
Published : Thursday, 04 Aug 2011, 8:07 PM EDT
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - An orthopedic surgeon with Rhode Island Hospital has had his medical license suspended.
Dr. Robert Villarreal was arrested by the Drug Enforcement Agency.
According to court documents obtained by the Target 12 Investigators, Dr. Villarreal admitted to a DEA agent that he performed orthopedic surgeries while under the influence of illegally obtained prescription drugs.
A second Rhode Island Hospital employee has also been arrested as part of a sting.
Gary Menissian, has been suspended from practicing as a nursing assistant.
Court documents say Villarreal would write prescriptions for several Rhode Island Hospital employees in exchange for a cut of some of the drugs for personal use.
Villarreal was released until his next court date.
According to a Brown University website, Villarreal has been practicing orthopedic medicine since he graduated in 2005. Court documents show he's also affiliated with NE Baptist Hospital in Boston.
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