A Rumson doctor was headed to federal court this afternoon after being arrested this morning on charges of presecribing excessive amounts of presecription drugs that he knew would be illegally resold or abused, the Asbury Park Press is reporting.

An 11-count indictment against Dr. Philip Eatough, 60, of Sycamore Lane was unsealed yesterday, and he was arrested by federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents at about 9:30a. An earlier version of the story said Eatough had turned himself in.

The indictment alleges Eatough prescribed large amounts of controlled substances, including the powerful painkillers oxycodone and morphine sulfate, without a legitimate medical purpose.

From the Press:

According to the indictment, from January 2001 through about December 2005, Eatough distributed numerous Schedule II controlled substances under the guise of running a pain management clinic in Keansburg.

He is charged with eight counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. In addition to those charges, both he and his office manager, Betty Over, 63, of Union Beach, are charged with one count each of conspiracy to
distribute controlled dangerous substances and conspiracy to launder the proceeds of the unlawful drug transactions.

The government is also seeking the forfeiture of those proceeds, which federal authorities say was $382,657.

Over, the office manager, was arrested Wednesday morning and later released on an unsecured bond.

Her attorney, Robert A. Weir Jr., called the charges filed against her outrageous and unsubstantiated.

Keansburg officials say Eatough’s office in the borough closed two years ago and say he now has an office in Middletown.

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