Overdose Deaths May Equal Life Sentence For Couple

As reported by the Associated Press for KansasCity.com, Dr. Stephen Schneider, and his wife, Linda Schneider, may receive four twenty-year consecutive sentences for running a clinic that has been linked to dozens of overdose deaths.

Federal Judge Monti Belot has been hearing the case in Wichita's U.S. District Court.

The Schneiders, of Haysville, were found guilty in June of unlawfully prescribing drugs, health care fraud and money laundering.  A federal jury has linked them to a moneymaking conspiracy and 68 overdose deaths.

Jurors, as noted by the government filing, found that their misconduct directly resulted in serious bodily injury to no less than 14 people and caused 10 deaths.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Treadway wrote, "If this were a serial murder case, instead of a drug dispensing and health care fraud case, there would be no question that life sentences should be imposed.  The Court should consider the dire consequences of the defendants' crimes, regardless of the type of crimes they committed."

As Dr. Schneider, 57, has never been accused of a crime before, his attorney, Lawrence Williamson, has asked that the couple not be sentenced to life in prison.  He plans on asking the judge of a minimum sentence.

Williamson said, "There is undisputed evidence that he was trying to help people and I think that is an important factor that we hope the court takes into consideration."

Besides the conspiracy charge, the Schneiders were found guilty on five counts of unlawfully writing prescriptions and 11 heath care fraud counts.

For the 17 money-laundering counts Stephen Schneider was found guilty on two counts, and Linda Schneider of 15.

The losses for clinic services and prescriptions have been tallied at more than $20 million.  Along with that, more than 500 patients and approximately 93 insurance companies were defrauded.

Where Dr. Schneider had no prior criminal history, Linda Schneider, 52, had been previously convicted for fraud. While imprisoned and waiting trial Linda made threats against her former defense attorney and Treadway.  
 
Judge Belot wrote that the jury was entitled to view Linda Schneider, based on the evidence, as being the "chief architect" of the Schneider's criminal conduct.

Prosecutors have argued that since the Schneiders victimized a large number of their trusting patients - as well as organizing criminal activity with "co-conspirators" - that life sentences for them both are warranted.

Dr. Schneider is also accused of obstructing justice.  He and his father-in-law created a fake lien so that they could keep an Oklahoma property out of the hands of civil plaintiffs in the medical malpractice cases.  The lien was also meant to thwart loosing the property to the government in the criminal case.

Prosecutors also allege that Linda Schneider had a family member indirectly attempt to intimidate trial witnesses, and, that their attorneys allowed witnesses to perjure themselves on the stand.

Williamson said that there is no evidence that Linda Schneider tried to intimidate any witnesses and that defense attorneys do not knowingly allow witnesses to misrepresent anything under oath.

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