NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — At first, Jim-David Gaglione lost his medical license, and now he has lost his freedom.
The former Virginia Beach doctor was sentenced Thursday to 30 months in federal prison, after he had pleaded guilty to one count of distributing amphetamines.
Authorities said Gaglione had two areas of illegal behavior. He wrote prescriptions for his own office manager, and she then sold them on the street for a thousand dollars each. His federal sentence of 2 1/2 years in prison and $15,000 fine was related to that crime.
However state regulators revoked Gaglione’s license in April for overprescribing drugs to 11 different patients, including 17-year-old Megan Sciortino.
“In amounts that would choke a horse,” said Gary Byler, attorney for the Sciortino family, “and without informing the parents.”
Gaglione prescribed Megan 12 different drugs, including Percocet, Xanax, Ambien and stimulants. She committed suicide in 2014.
“Megan Sciortino was a beautiful child who went to the doctor seeking help for her problems, instead she was given a lethal dose of opioids,” Byler said.
Megan’s father says Gaglione should have recognized that his daughter was in trouble, but instead the family is left with only memories.
“She was an outstanding girl, loved soccer, loved her friends and loved her family.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Hudson pointed out just prior to sentencing that Gaglione has $1.5 million in liquid cash.
“We don’t think that’s fair,” Byler said. “We plan to bring a civil case later on.”