NORFOLK, Va. — A well-known Virginia Beach plastic surgeon has heard his fate.
A federal jury found Dr. John Mancoll guilty of two counts of drug possession and not guilty of three counts of obtaining a controlled substance through fraud.
Virginia Beach police arrested Dr. Mancoll in 2021 after they found narcotics in his possession. Detectives said those pills weren't Dr. Mancoll's but medicine he took from patients.
The government argued that Mancoll was a "smart doctor" with chronic pain who refused to take responsibility for his actions.
Dr. Mancoll claimed someone planted the pills and testified that he was not a thief or an addict.
Thursday, the jury returned its verdict after roughly four hours of deliberation.
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Attorneys on both sides weighed in:
"Well we're obviously glad the jury found him not guilty of the theft of the medicines, that's the much more serious and significant charge. We are disappointed they found him guilty of the materials that were in the vehicle," said Dr. Mancoll's defense attorney James Broccoletti.
“We are grateful for the work of the agents and prosecutors on this case and that Dr. Mancoll is being held accountable for his misuse of prescriptions meant for patients in pain. Part of curbing the opioid crisis must include ensuring that medical professionals are legally distributing controlled substances to the benefit of their patients, not themselves,” stated U.S. Attorney and head federal prosecutor Jessica Aber.
Dr. Mancoll could see prison time up to two years for the possession charges.
He will be sentenced in the fall.
The article was corrected on June 9, 2023 to reflect the two drug possession counts are misdemeanors.
