Skin doctor fined

A National City dermatologist has been sentenced to time served and fined $1,000 for his guilty plea to conspiracy to obtain prescription drugs by fraud that included tranquilizers and pain killers for personal use.

Dr. Matthew David Cole, 38, was placed on one year of federal supervised release April 18 by U.S. District Court Judge Marilyn Huff. Cole could have been sentenced to four years in federal prison, but the prosecutor didn’t ask for any jail time.

Cole completed an intensive three-month rehabilitation program for physicians with addiction issues, according to court records. He attends self-help meetings three times per week.

He used his own prescription pad with his assigned Drug Enforcement Administration number to write prescriptions in the name of someone who had no doctor-patient relationship, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The scheme also involved his wife, Shireen Cole, 37, who entered into a drug diversion program with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. She also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obtain prescription drugs and must do 100 hours of community service in the next two years.

If she has no violations, her conviction will be dismissed. Neither have prior records.

According to court records, Dr. Cole and his wife were involved in 39 instances of fraudulent medical prescriptions that included oxycodone, Xanax, Ambien and Percocet.

Pharmacists became suspicious which led to them being charged in 2015.