West Hollywood doctor pleads guilty to drug trafficking

A doctor practicing in West Hollywood pleaded guilty Monday to a federal drug trafficking charge for unlawfully writing hundreds of prescriptions after authorities had revoked his physician’s registration and ability to prescribe drugs.

James William Eisenberg, 72, of Venice pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of distribution of hydrocodone, better known as Vicodin.

“On Dec. 14, 2011, a DEA administrative judge determined that Eisenberg acted as a ‘drug dealer’ and suspended his registration number. The DEA issued an order permanently revoking Eisenberg’s registration on July 24, 2012,” according to a news release from the U.S. attorney’s office.

But “Eisenberg continued to prescribe controlled substances,” according to the release.

And he prescribed them in large numbers. According to a database that tracks prescriptions, after Eisenberg’s suspension, “Patients filled more than 1,700 of his prescriptions for controlled substances, including more than 1,200 prescriptions for hydrocodone.”

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