Doctor charged with felonies related to prescribing controlled substances

MARQUETTE — A former doctor charged with five felony counts related to drugs and falsifying medical records was in court today for his sentencing, but the case is now far from over. Here’s a look at what went on this morning in Marquette County District Court.

65 year old Larry Carlyon practiced medicine for 38 years. That all changed in May of 2015, when members of the Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team raided his office on West Washington Street.

In January, Carlyon was charged with four counts of delivery or manufacture of a controlled substance– Suboxone, and one count of intentionally placing false information on a medical record.

Carlyon agreed to surrender his medical license forever and pay fines, costs and restitution as part of a plea agreement, where he pleaded guilty to one count of intentionally placing false information on a medical record back in February.

Defense attorney Karl Numinen, asked Judge Karl Weber to abide by those stipulations, which took months to negotiate. “I know in some ways it might look like this is a light sentence, but I want the court to know that’s just the tip of the iceberg,” said Numinen. “There’s a whole lot of ice underneath the water here that has been resolved and dealt with to get to this point.”

“In the cases of Suboxone, he gave the Suboxone out without an examination, often times without even meeting with these patients,” said Glenn Sarka, assistant prosecutor.

Despite the agreed to sentencing stipulations, Judge Weber decided on a harsher sentence.

“My sentence would be to a term of probation for 12 months, a jail term for a period of 30 days with 7 days upfront,” said Weber. “I believe that the sentence I would craft or fashion here will serve to protect society and have a deterrent effect on this type of conduct.”

By law, Carlyon was given the option to withdraw his plea, which he did. The case has now been remanded back to circuit court on the original charges.