Mansfield physician who is facing federal drug charges accepts plea agreement
A Mansfield physician accused of illegally prescribing hundreds of thousands of doses of prescription painkillers to purported patients has accepted a plea deal.
Gary Frantz, 69, pleaded guilty last week in federal court to 10 counts of distributing Schedule II controlled substances – oxycodone, hydrocodone and methadone.
In exchange, prosecutors will dismiss hundreds of other counts of distributing controlled substances at Frantz’s sentencing, scheduled for Dec. 2.
The plea agreement represents the conclusion of a three-year case.
In 2019, federal prosecutors unsealed a 242-count indictment against Frantz, accusing the longtime family practitioner of leading a conspiracy in which he illegally prescribed prescription painkillers and other controlled substances between January 2005 and June 2017.
Multiple prescriptions, high doses
Frantz prescribed the drugs to customers whom he described as “patients” outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose, according to the indictment.
He was accused of distributing multiple prescriptions for large quantities of high doses of oxycodone pills, including 80 mg and 30 mg Oxycontin pills, to “patients” each month, in addition to prescriptions for fentanyl, according to the indictment.
Christopher Fulk was one of Frantz’s false patients, according to prosecutors, and sold thousands of oxycodone pills and fentanyl patches he received from Frantz to various customers in the Mansfield area, according to the indictment.
Fulk accepted a plea agreement in August 2020 and is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 31 by Judge Benita Y. Pearson in Youngstown.
Frantz, who had anticipated an indictment, contacted the News Journal in May 2019 and provided a statement in which he proclaimed his innocence and said he was determined to fight the allegations and proceed to a trial if necessary.
‘I have done nothing wrong’
“In 2015, the federal government raided my office and seized 25 of my patient records,” Frantz said. “I fully cooperated during the raid and have ever since. Unfortunately, the government has decided to formally charge me with over-prescribing.
“As a family practitioner, I have always treated each patient as an individual, with individual concerns and issues. I ask you to keep an open mind. I know I have done nothing wrong. I believe that once this case has ended, I will be found innocent of any suggestion of criminal activity. I appreciate all the people who have been praying for me and my family and ask you to continue.”
Frantz directed questions to his attorney, Roger Synenberg, who declined comment.
Frantz dispensed and distributed 606.9 kilograms – over 1,330 pounds – of converted drug weight, according to his plea agreement.
Ohiohealth Primary Care Physicians, formerly Mansfield Family Practice, 248 Blymyer Avenue, was searched by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in 2015.
Christina Thompson, spokeswoman for Ohiohealth Mansfield, said in an email in 2019 that “on June 8, 2017, Ohiohealth Physician Group was notified that Dr. Frantz was a target of a DEA investigation, and immediately placed him on administrative leave. In October 2018, Dr. Frantz retired while still on leave. Dr. Frantz provided no patient care after June 8, 2017.”
Frantz has an active medical license, scheduled to expire at the end of 2022. mtrombly@gannett.com 419-521-7205
Twitter: @monroetrombly