By AP/KWMU
St. Louis – A federal judge Thursday sentenced a St. Louis area doctor to 16 months in prison for attempting to dispense more than 2.5 million illegal doses of prescription drugs.
Dr. Harry Katz, of Dittmer, must also pay a $75,000 fine.
Katz, 79, was convicted in March of 176 felony counts of illegal distribution of prescription controlled substances.
U.S. Attorney James Martin says Katz illegally wrote prescriptions for $40 each for Vicodin, Darvocet, Xanax and Valium.
The doctor has said he prescribed low doses of drugs that were not addictive.