Warrant issued for North Idaho doctor guilty of selling narcotics
A federal warrant has been issued for a North Idaho doctor found guilty Tuesday of selling prescriptions for narcotics, including oxycodone and hydrocodone.
Rafael L. Beier, 62, an osteopathic physician in Kingston, was present for his trial but failed to appear in U.S. District Court for the verdict. A jury found him guilty of all 66 charges, including conspiracy to dispense a controlled substance and four counts of distributing drugs to people under 21 years old.
The North Idaho Violent Crimes Task Force is looking for Beier, who could be sentenced to as many as 20 years in prison.
Beier created fake patient profiles to help cover up bogus prescriptions for thousands of pills. Some of the prescriptions he sold were to young women working as strippers in Stateline, according to court testimony.
In addition to the opioids oxycodone and hydrocodone, commonly used as pain killers, he was selling Adderall, a stimulant.
The crimes cover a two-year period, from April 2012 to May 2014. The U.S. Attorney’s office for Idaho indicted Beier on June 17, 2014.
The six-day trial wrapped up Monday before U.S. Judge Edward J. Lodge in Coeur d’Alene.