Dr. Robin Ann Cox of Rogers pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court in connection with over-prescribing opioids.
Cox, 64, of Greenwood, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of a controlled substance without an effective prescription, according to a news release from David Clay Fowlkes, acting United States attorney for the Western District of Arkansas.
Cox worked at the Arkansas Medical Clinic in Rogers. Last year, Cox and the owner of the clinic called the Drug Enforcement Administration and reported that prescriptions from Cox’ s previous employment had been forged and filled in May 2019, according to the release.
During the investigation into these prescriptions, the DEA discovered that Cox had written one of the prescriptions in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant in Fort Smith. That prescription was for 120 tablets of oxycodone, which was filled the following day, according to the plea agreement.
A federal grand jury indicted Cox in October. Cox also had been charged with one count of making a material false statement to federal investigators, but that charge was dismissed in exchange for her guilty plea.
Cox, who practiced family medicine, faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $1 million.
On Oct. 23, the Arkansas State Medical Board issued an Emergency Order of Suspension against Cox. On Dec. 6, the board voted to accept Cox’s offer to sign a Temporary Consent Order that lifted the suspension and allowed her to practice, but she couldn’t prescribe controlled substances, according to the board minutes. The board also said Cox had to appear before the board before she could apply for her permit to prescribe controlled substances.
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