City Times Staff

An Amherst woman faces more than 80 years in federal prison for her alleged role in a conspiracy to distribute attention-deficit disorder prescription drugs.

Margaret “Meg” C. Knowles, 51, was indicted by a grand jury in federal court Wednesday. Knowles is charged with four counts of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute D-amphetamine Salt Combo, a controlled substance more commonly known as Adderall.

The indictment also charges Knowles with attempting to obtain the drug by fraud. At the time of these alleged offenses, Knowles was a physician practicing in Stevens Point, but it was not immediately clear where she was employed.

The indictment alleges that Knowles conspired with four individuals, who are identified only by their initials in the indictment, at various times between 2011 to 2014, to “possess the drug, and possess the drug with the intent to distribute, outside the course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose.”

According to the indictment, in May 2013 Knowles also used a computer to create prescription orders for Adderall from other clinicians without their authorization.

Knowles faces four years in prison for the attempt to acquire a controlled substance by fraud. For each conspiracy count, Knowles could be sentenced to up to 20 years.

The charges came following an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Jarosz.