Ex-doctor sentenced for illegally prescribing pain killers that led to fatal overdoses

A former doctor from Merrick was sentenced Thursday to 23 years in federal prison after a jury found he exchanged cash for illegal opioid prescriptions that led to the overdose death of two men.

Michael Belfiore, 58, of Westbury, appeared in U.S. Eastern District Court in Central Islip, wearing a tan prison uniform. He was convicted after a jury trial of two counts of illegal distribution of oxycodone, causing the deaths of two patients, and 26 counts of illegal distribution of oxycodone.

He was arrested following a DEA undercover investigation in which he prescribed oxycodone six times to an undercover officer and also fabricated medical charts to justify the prescriptions.

U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Bianco said Belfiore illegally prescribed nearly 6,000 pills over 3 1/2 years, including 150 pills on April 12, 2013, to John Ubaghs, a 33-year-old Marine Corps veteran from Baldwin. He died the next day from an overdose.

Belfiore, a former doctor of osteopathic medicine who operated out of a Merrick strip mall, also gave Edward Martin, 43, of East Rockaway 240 pills within 45 days without an exam, leading to Martin's overdose 10 days later, March 5, 2013, Bianco said.

The judge said if Belfiore had followed his medical oath, Martin may still be alive today.

"There's no difference between a drug dealer on the street selling opioids. In fact, it's worse," Bianco said. "This doctor's criminal behavior was hidden behind a white lab coat and a prescription pad. It was like giving a loaded gun for someone to kill themselves with a prescription of Oxy."

Kristen Martin said her husband fractured his neck when their son was 3 months old. She said the injury sent him spiraling into opioid addiction of painkillers.

She called her husband a "big teddy bear" who graduated St. John's University and worked as an electrician. She said since his death, she is a single parent left to rebuild her home after it was destroyed by Superstorm Sandy.

"My husband will never get to see my son go to kindergarten," Martin said in court. "I want a life sentence just like the life you stole, but I know you have a family too and I don't want to hate you the rest of my life. I want the ability to forgive you, but I'll leave that in God's hands."

Belfiore read a letter to the court accepting responsibility for his crimes and apologizing for the lives he took.

"To the families of my patients, a simple I’m sorry for your loss will never be enough. I gave narcotics to people who shouldn’t have received them. My actions wrecked the lives of patients and contributed to the deaths of two. It also wrecked my life," Belfiore said. "The only person I have to blame is me. I was an excellent doctor who should have known better. I am sorry, and despite the history of this case I recognize that what I did was illegal and wrong."

Belfiore's medical license has lapsed, prosecutors said, and he no longer practices medicine.

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.