ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, November 21, 1996 TAG: 9611210019
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: LISA K. GARCIA STAFF WRITER
A Christiansburg doctor who continued writing prescriptions after his medical license was revoked has pleaded guilty to federal charges and was ordered into an alcohol rehabilitation program.
Dr. Daniel R. Holliman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Roanoke on Nov. 13 to "furnishing false or fraudulent information on an application" that doctors file with the Drug Enforcement Agency before being allowed to prescribe drugs and "unlawful distribution of controlled substances," according to court records.
He faces a maximum penalty of nine years in prison and up to $280,000 in fines for two federal charges. The government plans to seek prison time in the case, if the sentencing guidelines call for it, according to court records. Holliman will be sentenced Feb. 4.
Holliman said in June that he continued working at diet clinics in Christiansburg and Salem to pay living expenses. He limited his medical work to performing physicals and prescribing appetite suppressants, he said.
"Basically I was trying to pay the rent and child support," Holliman said in June.
The Virginia State Police arrested Holliman on June 20 on 48 charges - 24 counts of practicing medicine with a suspended license and 24 counts of prescribing drugs whiles his license was suspended. He was released after he posted a $30,000 bond.
On Tuesday, the 48 counts were dropped in Montgomery County General District Court. Commonwealth's Attorney Phil Keith said he thought it would be excessive to pursue the state charges because Holliman had pleaded guilty to similar federal charges. Each state charge could be prosecuted in the future, however, and is a felony punishable by a fine up to $2,500 and a maximum of five years in prison.
Official records from the state Board of Medicine trace a personal battle with drugs and alcohol over the past three years that caused Holliman's license to be suspended or revoked in three states.
Holliman was licensed to practice medicine in Virginia in April 1984. He later moved to California where his medical license was revoked because of substance abuse.
According to records from the state Board of Medicine, Holliman's license was suspended in Virginia in February, based on the California suspension. Previous to that, Virginia had suspended Holliman's license in August 1994 because of a suspension in Wisconsin a month earlier.
Virginia reinstated his license in October 1994, but suspended it again this February. Records of orders by the state disciplinary board include evidence submitted in all three states that indicates Holliman failed drug tests after being order to quit his use of alcohol and prescription drugs.
Jimmy Turk, Holliman's attorney, said his client still struggles with alcoholism and as of last Wednesday the court ordered Holliman into a rehabilitation program. Holliman will spend 30 days in the Blue Ridge Detoxification Center in Roanoke. Turk said after 30 days the court will decide whether Holliman can be released until he is sentenced.
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