Theresa Pickering, 55, has not been a licensed physician assistant since 2014, but this is now the second time she has been charged and convicted for practicing as one in the last eight years.
She was arraigned in June 2022 on charges of healthcare fraud, aggravated identity theft and distribution of controlled substances. As of April 18, Ms. Pickering has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison followed by three years of supervised release and must pay $48,742.30 in restitution.
"Pickering previously served prison time for similar conduct," U.S. Attorney Ryan Buchanan said in a statement. "Then in blatant disregard for the law and safety, she knowingly placed patients at significant risk by again posing as a licensed medical provider."
Ms. Pickering's previous conviction was also related to illegal practice as a physician assistant in 2015 related to a narcotics case in Mississippi. Afterward, she relocated to Georgia and joined a family medical practice, where she had been working until this latest development.
During her tenure at the practice, she ordered lab work, diagnosed patients and wrote prescriptions under the name of a licensed physician without their knowledge, totaling $147,000 in fraudulent claims. She reportedly worked there since September 2019 and at no time was her physician assistant license reinstated in Georgia or any other state during this time frame.