Drug Doctor Sentenced

A doctor who sold illegal prescription drugs near Massapequa High School has been sentenced to six months in jail Thursday.

Saji Francis, also received five years probation under the terms of a plea agreement worked out in July.

Francis, who was arrested in December after he sold the drug to undercover cops, would have faced a maximum of five and a half years in prison had the case gone to trial.

Francis had his medical license suspended and forfeited his office on Merrick Road.

After the deal was announced, several anti-drug advocates protested the sentence as being too light. The sentiment was echoed in a statement issued by District Attorney Kathleen Rice after the sentencing.

Francis' "crimes are especially egregious because he is a doctor, a man of privilege and a man with no excuses," she said.

"We have always sought upstate prison time for Mr. Francis and we renewed that request today at his sentencing...The current sentencing laws that require no mandatory minimum prison term for these crimes need to change to better address the for-profit drug dealers that are poisoning our communities.”

"He was taken away in handcuffs and we're very happy about that," said Drug Free Massapequa co-founder Janice Talento. "He got the maximum the judge was able to give him under the plea deal."

Talento said her group is working to find additional people who may have received drugs from Francis.