Former Decatur doctor sentenced to prison for illegal drug prescribing

DECATUR, Ala. ( WHNT ) — A former doctor accused of illegally prescribing drugs has been sentenced to prison.

According to a plea agreement, Sammy Fuad Becdach,58, worked as an oncologist in Decatur from 2018 through 2021 when the illegal prescribing happened.

In August 2022, the Medical Licensure Commission of Alabama revoked Becdach's medical license for unprofessional conduct related to his romantic relationship with a woman he had written opioid prescriptions to and who later died from a drug overdose.

According to officials, Becdach wrote illegal prescriptions for controlled substances to three people who were not his patients. The three filled the prescriptions at Becdach's request and then gave him the pills they received.

Officials said that Becdach gave some pills to women he was romantically involved with. The prescriptions included opioids, benzodiazepines, oxycodone, and hydrocodone.

U.S. Attorney Northern District of Alabama officials said that Becdach was sentenced to two years in prison followed by a year of home confinement.

Becdach was also ordered to pay a $100,000 fine.

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