Who: 
Pinellas County Sheriff Office
Investigative Operations Bureau
- Narcotics Division

Clearwater Police Department

Florida Department of Health

Alfred B. Chapman (Arrested)
DOB: 5/19/1960
Address:  2583 Deer Run East, Clearwater
Charges: One count of Practicing Medicine without a License, One count of Trafficking in Oxycodone and four counts of Obtaining Controlled Substance by Fraud.

What: 
A Clearwater man was arrested for obtaining prescription drugs by fraud and prescribing controlled substances to patients after his medical license was suspended.

When:
The investigation began in June 2016. The suspect was arrested at about 11 a.m. on November 11, 2016.

Where:
The investigation was conducted in Pinellas County. 

The suspect was arrested at 1221 Rogers Street in Clearwater.

Why/How:
A Clearwater man was arrested for obtaining prescription drugs by fraud and prescribing controlled substances to patients after his medical license was suspended.

According to detectives, 56-year-old Alfred Chapman was a certified physician specializing in Osteopathic medicine in Clearwater. Chapman’s license to practice medicine expired in March 2016, and the Board of Osteopathic Medicine denied his request to renew the license in May 2016. The Department of Health issued an emergency suspension order in June 2016, suspending Chapman’s medical license for non-payment of school loans.

In June 2016, detectives received information from the Florida Department of Health alleging that Chapman prescribed controlled substances to patients after his medical license expired.

In October 2016, detectives received additional information alleging that Chapman forged prescriptions belonging to another doctor and filled the prescriptions at a local pharmacy in Clearwater.

Through various investigative techniques, detectives confirmed that Chapman filled over 50 fraudulent prescriptions for five different patients from June 2016 to October 2016. This was during the timeframe Chapman was suspended from practicing medicine.

Detectives determined that of the five patients listed on the fraudulent prescriptions: one was deceased, one lived outside the county, one moved out of the country, one was unable to be identified, and the fifth patient was possibly an acquaintance of Chapman.

Detectives estimate that Chapman received over 6,000 tablets of Oxycodone, 600 tablets of Adderall, 360 tablets of Xanax and 1.65 ml of Methadone through fraudulent means. 

Clearwater Police officers located and arrested Chapman at about 11 a.m. on November 11, 2016.

Pinellas detectives charged Chapman with one count of Practicing Medicine without a License, one count of Trafficking in Oxycodone and four counts of Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud.

Chapman was transported to the Pinellas County Jail without incident.

The investigation continues.

Booking Photo of Alfred Chapman.