Beaver County doctor faces opioid prescription-related charges
Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office investigators combed through 18 months of large amounts of opioids and other prescriptions written by Dr. Bernie Simons of Beaver County. Now, they’re charging him with three misdemeanor counts of prescribing a controlled substance to a drug-dependent person.The family practice where the Beaver County doctor worked is long gone from its former Hopewell location. But the investigation of the doctor’s opioid prescription writing in 2019 has brought charges against him now. His attorney, Steven Valsamidis, spoke with Pittsburgh’s Action News 4.”Here’s what I can say, Dr. Bernie Simons is a good doctor. His patients love him. When you look at his client-patient reviews, they’re phenomenal. I really look forward to resolving this with the attorney general’s office and I anticipate that we can,” Valsamidis said.Simons worked at the Heritage Valley medical group in a building on Buss Road in Hopewell, near Aliquippa, Beaver County. People who live and work in the area say the location has been closed and vacant for more than a year. Heritage Valley Health System did not respond to a request for comment.The criminal complaint says the state attorney general’s office looked into reports Simons was “prescribing large amounts of opioid medications along with other contraindicated medications.”Investigators looked at records dating from January 2018 into June 2019.The state attorney general’s office wasn’t commenting on the charges Friday and the Beaver County district attorney declined to comment on the state’s case.The criminal complaint says some pharmacists in Beaver County told investigators that “over the years prescriptions by Dr. Simons have gotten ‘so out of hand’ that many local pharmacies refused to fill prescriptions issued by Dr. Simons.””The charges were just filed and I can tell you we have our hearing scheduled for the end of August and following that hearing, hopefully, we’ll have something more of an update for you,” Valsamidis said.”Just being charged with this kills anybody’s character or reputation and he’s definitely upset over having to deal with this. But like I said before, he’s a very good doctor. His patients like him. When you meet him, he’s a very charismatic, likable individual,” Valsamidis said.Simons was arraigned Thursday and freed on his own recognizance. His preliminary hearing is Aug. 28.
HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP, Pa. —
Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office investigators combed through 18 months of large amounts of opioids and other prescriptions written by Dr. Bernie Simons of Beaver County. Now, they’re charging him with three misdemeanor counts of prescribing a controlled substance to a drug-dependent person.
The family practice where the Beaver County doctor worked is long gone from its former Hopewell location. But the investigation of the doctor’s opioid prescription writing in 2019 has brought charges against him now.
His attorney, Steven Valsamidis, spoke with Pittsburgh’s Action News 4.
“Here’s what I can say, Dr. Bernie Simons is a good doctor. His patients love him. When you look at his client-patient reviews, they’re phenomenal. I really look forward to resolving this with the attorney general’s office and I anticipate that we can,” Valsamidis said.
Simons worked at the Heritage Valley medical group in a building on Buss Road in Hopewell, near Aliquippa, Beaver County. People who live and work in the area say the location has been closed and vacant for more than a year. Heritage Valley Health System did not respond to a request for comment.
The criminal complaint says the state attorney general’s office looked into reports Simons was “prescribing large amounts of opioid medications along with other contraindicated medications.”
Investigators looked at records dating from January 2018 into June 2019.
The state attorney general’s office wasn’t commenting on the charges Friday and the Beaver County district attorney declined to comment on the state’s case.
The criminal complaint says some pharmacists in Beaver County told investigators that “over the years prescriptions by Dr. Simons have gotten ‘so out of hand’ that many local pharmacies refused to fill prescriptions issued by Dr. Simons.”
“The charges were just filed and I can tell you we have our hearing scheduled for the end of August and following that hearing, hopefully, we’ll have something more of an update for you,” Valsamidis said.
“Just being charged with this kills anybody’s character or reputation and he’s definitely upset over having to deal with this. But like I said before, he’s a very good doctor. His patients like him. When you meet him, he’s a very charismatic, likable individual,” Valsamidis said.
Simons was arraigned Thursday and freed on his own recognizance. His preliminary hearing is Aug. 28.
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