Summaries of Regents Actions
on Professional
Misconduct and Discipline
February 2010
Terms under which this information is provided.
- Chiropractic - Dentistry - Massage Therapy - Nursing - Pharmacy - Physical Therapy - Podiatry - Public Accountancy - Respiratory Therapy - Veterinary Medicine -
Chiropractic
Frank Bello, Cliffside Park, NJ
Profession: Chiropractor; Lic. No. 009998; Cal. No. 24662
Regents Action Date: February 9, 2010
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 6 month actual suspension, 18 month stayed suspension, 24 months probation, $3,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been convicted of one count of Insurance Fraud in the 5th Degree, a class A misdemeanor.
Dentistry
Tolly Abraham Chovev, Cedarhurst, NY
Profession: Dentist; Lic. No. 038854; Cal. No. 23989
Regents Action Date: February 9, 2010 (see also September 2006)
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 year actual suspension, upon service of 1 year suspension or upon stay of execution of any unserved portion thereof upon satisfactory submission of certain documentation, 2 years probation to commence upon return to practice, $5,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of failing to provide a patient record within 30 days of the delivery of a written request.
Massage Therapy
John C. Horkheimer, Liverpool, NY
Profession: Massage Therapist; Lic. No. 014064; Cal. No. 24853
Regents Action Date: February 9, 2010
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 year stayed suspension, 1 year probation tolled until return to practice, $500 fine payable within 1 year.
Summary: Licensee admitted to charges of having been convicted of 2004 and 2006 criminal convictions of Driving While Intoxicated.
Nursing
James Champlin, Gloversville, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 282220; Cal. No. 24881
Regents Action Date: February 9, 2010
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 year stayed suspension, 1 year probation, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been convicted of Criminal Contempt in the 2nd Degree.
Diane T. Davis, Pleasantville, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 107109; Cal. No. 24826
Regents Action Date: February 9, 2010
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 year stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been convicted on 2 occasions of Driving While Intoxicated.
Catherine DeGregorio, Queensbury, NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 469164; Cal. No. 24834
Regents Action Date: February 9, 2010
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: Indefinite actual suspension for no less than 2 years and until fit to practice, upon termination of suspension, 2 years probation to commence upon return to practice, $500 fine payable within 6 months.
Summary: Licensee admitted to charges of having been convicted of Driving While Intoxicated on 3 occasions and Petit Larceny, and of failing to reveal 2 crimes.
Timothy G. Farrell, Penn Yan, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 217746; Cal. No. 24845
Regents Action Date: February 9, 2010
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 year stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to charges of having been convicted in 2004 and 2008 of Driving While Intoxicated and having failed to report a 1988 conviction for DWI on his application for licensure as a licensed practical nurse.
Susan Ellen Hawkins, Constable, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. Nos. 204753, 437374; Cal. Nos. 24863, 24864
Regents Action Date: February 9, 2010 (see also July 2000 and September 2013)
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 9 month actual suspension, 15 month stayed suspension, 2 years probation to commence upon return to practice.
Summary: Licensee admitted to charges of having been convicted of Official Misconduct and Resisting Arrest.
Georgeann S. Jenkins, Rochester, NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 426501; Cal. No. 24344
Regents Action Date: February 9, 2010
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of diverting large amounts of fentanyl.
Tenesha Shanta Kelly-Roberts, Freeport, NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 491143; Cal. No. 24814
Regents Action Date: February 9, 2010
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 year stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest charges of administering an incorrect dose of medication on two occasions, and of failing to administer medication but charting that she had.
Russell Daniel Leibstein, Sayville, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 292400; Cal. No. 24765
Regents Action Date: February 9, 2010
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 3 month actual suspension, 21 month stayed suspension, 2 years probation.
Summary: Licensee did not contest charges of failing to administer controlled substances to patients after signing them out on the controlled substance drug record; failing to properly waste a controlled substance; administering a controlled substance to a patient after the order had been discontinued; and, failing to administer a controlled substance to a patient as ordered.
Elizabeth Leonardo a/k/a Elizabeth Leonardo DeMatteo, Delmar, NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 502097; Cal. No. 24910
Regents Action Date: February 9, 2010
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee admitted to charges of providing false information, of having been convicted of Petit Larceny and Attempted Grand Larceny in the 4th Degree, and of failing to complete 2 terms of probation.
Marcus G. Ortiz a/k/a Marcus Ortiz, Bronx, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 268699; Cal. No. 23753
Regents Action Date: February 9, 2010 (see also January 2016)
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: Indefinite actual suspension until successfully participate in course of therapy and treatment, upon termination of suspension, 2 years probation to commence if and when return to practice.
Summary: Licensee admitted to charges of falsely denying his prior criminal convictions in his application for licensure and of having been convicted of Criminal Possession of Marihuana in the 5th Degree, a class B misdemeanor.
Mary L. Reid, Freeport, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 142415; Cal. No. 23404
Regents Action Date: February 9, 2010
Action: Found guilty of professional misconduct; Penalty: Revocation.
Summary: Licensee was found guilty of committing unprofessional conduct based on her forging a physician’s order, administering an incorrect does of medication, falsely claiming that she took a medication course and revealing personally identifiable information about a patient.
Lori Jean Ryan, Miller Place, NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 489494; Cal. No. 24821
Regents Action Date: February 9, 2010
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 year stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest charges of signing out for medications without a doctor's order and failing to record the administration of said medication on the patients' Medication Administration Record.Pharmacy
Bharat Bhushan Mahadeo, Richmond Hill, NY
Profession: Pharmacist; Lic. No. 049186; Cal. No. 24829
Regents Action Date: February 9, 2010
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: Indefinite actual suspension until successfully participate in course of therapy and treatment, upon termination of suspension, 2 years probation to commence if and when return to practice, $1,000 fine payable within 3 months.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of stealing drugs from his employer for his personal use.
Rite Aid of New York, Inc., 9738 Seaview Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
Profession: Pharmacy; Reg. No. 022670; Cal. No. 24849
Regents Action Date: February 9, 2010
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: $10,000 fine, 2 years probation.
Summary: Registrant did not contest charges that it did not have a supervising pharmacist for 130 days, and that, on September 22, 2008, there were more than 2 unlicensed persons assisting the pharmacist on duty.
Nirav Jitendra Shah, Sunnyside, Queens, NY
Profession: Pharmacist; Lic. No. 046105; Cal. No. 24880
Regents Action Date: February 9, 2010
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee could not successfully defend against the allegation that he, a co-owner, and the pharmacy billed the Medicaid program for furnishing pharmacy services to Medicaid recipients, while engaging in unacceptable practices including: buying back prescriptions that had been billed to Medicaid; diverting prescription drugs from lawful distribution; providing prescriptions in exchange for business referrals; and giving incentive payments and gifts to Medicaid recipients from January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2007.Physical Therapy
Anthony P. Derrico, Cohoes, NY
Profession: Physical Therapist Assistant; Cert. No. 003212; Cal. No. 24909
Regents Action Date: February 9, 2010
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 month actual suspension, 23 month stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to charges of having been convicted of Criminal Contempt in the 2nd Degree and of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 7th Degree on two occasions, and if failing to report one conviction.
Podiatry
Alan Jay Cantor, East Meadow, NY
Profession: Podiatrist; Lic. No. 004818; Cal. No. 24904
Regents Action Date: February 9, 2010
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 6 month actual suspension, 18 month stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $5,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been convicted of one count of Grand Larceny, a crime of the 3rd Degree, a Class D felony.Public Accountancy
Paul Garret Hannwacker, Plainview, NY
Profession: Certified Public Accountant; Lic. No. 068701; Cal. No. 24952
Regents Action Date: February 9, 2010
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 year stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been convicted of one count of Criminal Impersonation in the 2nd Degree, a class A misdemeanor.
Profession: Certified Public Accountant; Lic. No. 058210; Cal. No. 24892
Regents Action Date: February 9, 2010
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 year stayed suspension, 1 year probation to commence upon return to practice, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been convicted of Loitering in the 1st Degree.
Respiratory Therapy
John Stephen Obrotka, Babylon, NY
Profession: Respiratory Therapy Technician; Lic. No. 002889; Cal. No. 24669
Regents Action Date: February 9, 2010
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 year stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $1,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been convicted of Driving While Intoxicated, a class D felony.
Veterinary Medicine
Profession: Veterinarian; Lic. No. 004473; Cal. No. 24788
Regents Action Date: February 9, 2010
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 year stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $2,500 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest charges of treating a patient and administering anesthesia without first performing a thorough physical examination and of failing to maintain an adequate patient record.
Profession: Veterinary Technician; Lic. No. 001270; Cal. No. 24647
Regents Action Date: February 9, 2010
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee admitted to charges of having been convicted of Burglary in the 3rd Degree and Burglary in the 2nd Degree.For further information: dplsdsu@nysed.gov
