Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III today announced the indictment of Francis and Jessica Martinis, of Fort Salonga, accused of Criminal Sale of Prescription for a Controlled Substance by a Practitioner and Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree, for allegedly prescribing and filling prescriptions for opioids throughout Suffolk County using the names of cast members of a reality show.
“Doctors are supposed to be trusted members of the community and with that trust comes a tremendous amount of personal and professional responsibility,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Physicians are held to a high standard, as they take an oath to uphold a number of professional ethical standards when they begin their careers. The conduct Dr. Martinis allegedly engaged in with his wife not only violated this oath, but it also violated the law.”
“The DEA is rooted in an ‘all hands-on deck’ approach to save lives from illegal drug misuse and abuse through enforcement, education, and prevention. By working with our law enforcement partners and the community, we identified two individuals who brazenly diverted controlled substances intended for medicinal purposes to the illegal drug market,” said U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino. “These arrests are a reminder that a doctor’s illicit drug diversion can lead to irreparable harm like the drug overdoses and poisonings currently plaguing our nation.”
According to the investigation, in January 2023, Jessica Martinis, 38, raised red flags when she allegedly tried to fill a hand-written prescription for oxycodone issued by her husband Francis Martinis, 55, a urologist, at a pharmacy in Kings Park. The prescription was unusual as most prescriptions are transmitted electronically from a doctor directly to a pharmacy. Furthermore, Jessica Martinis was allegedly not the patient listed on the prescription. The pharmacist ultimately refused to fill the prescription and called the Suffolk County Police Department.
Following this incident, members of the Suffolk County Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Long Island District Office Tactical Diversion Squad, with assistance from Homeland Security, launched an investigation into the doctor’s most recent history of issuing prescriptions.
The investigation revealed that Francis Martinis had allegedly electronically transmitted numerous prescriptions for oxycodone to pharmacies within Suffolk County. In addition, the purported patients named on the prescriptions were former cast members on the Bravo television series “Below Deck,” none of whom lived on Long Island. Francis and Jessica Martinis had previously appeared on the reality show series.
Once transmitted to the pharmacies, Jessica Martinis allegedly picked up and paid for the prescriptions with cash. The investigation further revealed that the prescriptions were never intended for or received by the purported patients named on the prescriptions.
On December 14, 2023, Francis and Jessica Martinis were arraigned before Supreme Court Justice, the Honorable Richard Ambro, for four counts of Criminal Sale of Prescription for a Controlled Substance by a Practitioner, Class C felonies, and four counts of Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree, Class E felonies. Justice Ambro ordered that each of the Martinis be placed on supervised release during the pendency of their cases. They are due back in court on January 25, 2024, and are being represented by Peter Crusco, Esq.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Wickers of the Narcotics Bureau, with investigative assistance from the Suffolk County Police Department, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The DEA Long Island District Office TDS Group comprises agents and officers of the DEA, Suffolk Police Department, Nassau Police Department, Port Washington Police Department and HHS OIG.
Criminal complaints and indictments are merely accusatory instruments. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.
