FORMER DOCTOR PLEADS GUILTY TO FELONY DRUG CHARGE

CANTON - A Gouverneur woman who was one of three doctors implicated by
an investigation into alleged overprescribing of prescription
narcotics in St. Lawrence County pleaded guilty Tuesday in County Court.

Dr. Gail DeHart, 53, pleaded guilty to attempted criminal sale of a
prescription of a controlled substance, a felony that carries a
maximum penalty of seven years in prison. She entered the guilty plea
under the terms of a plea agreement that calls for her to be sentenced
Feb. 6 to probation.

Represented by attorney Edward Z. Menkin, Syracuse, Dr. DeHart
admitted prescribing methadone, a synthetic narcotic often used in the
treatment of heroin addiction, to her daughter, Anastassia I. DeHart,
four times between May 2004 and Sept. 14 2004.

Dr. DeHart lacked required permission from the federal Drug
Enforcement Administration to legally prescribe methadone and admitted
under questioning by County Judge Jerome J. Richards that doing so was
inappropriate medically.

"Did she have some drug problem?" the judge asked.

"Yes, sir. Excessive use of cannabis or marijuana," Dr. DeHart
said.

"It is my understanding that methadone is not a drug that is
recommended to treat a cannabis issue. Would you agree?" the judge
asked.

"It was my understanding it could be used to treat any substance-abuse
problem. I have subsequently learned that was incorrect," Dr. DeHart
said.

Prescribing methadone to her daughter "was outside the scope of
appropriate medical practice," according to Mr. Menkin.

As part of Dr. DeHart's plea agreement, acting District Attorney Gary
W. Miles agreed not to persecute Anastassia DeHart. The doctor's
guilty plea satisfied any charges arising from activities by Dr.
DeHart before her arrest on May 18, he said.

Jailed after her arrest in May, Dr. DeHart was released under
probation supervision after agreeing to stop practicing medicine while
the criminal case against her was pending. Since then the state Health
Department's Office of Professional Medical Conduct has begun
disciplinary proceedings against her.

"It's clear this proceeding will serve as the basis for termination of
her license," Mr. Menkin said. He said she plans to surrender her
license before that happens.

Dr. DeHart was one of three physicians targeted during a long running
investigation by state police and the DEA. Dr. Charles A. Locke,
Gouverneur, agreed in June to close his practice and give up his
license in return for a promise that he would not be prosecuted. Dr.
James L. Latimer, Madrid, did the same in September.

Dr. DeHart's former office manager, Joan A. Kingdon, 50, Gouverneur,
and Larry L. Ames, 45, Harrisville, who were both arrested in May in
connection with charges stemming from the investigation, both pleaded
guilty to felony drug possession during County Court appearances on
Nov. 22. Both are to be sentenced Jan. 3.