Posted: 6:35 pm EDT October 7, 2010
TELFORD, Pa. -- The sign on the clinic door said family practitioner, but police said the doctor inside was prescribing a different type of medicine. Dr. Harris Newman, who runs a clinic in Telford, Bucks County, was arrested earlier this week on 35 felony charges for allegedly providing his patients prescription drugs in exchange for sex. His medical license was also suspended. "He's been charged with dispensing prescription drugs," said assistant district attorney Adam Tanker. "In exchange, he would receive sexual favors in his office." "Makes me sick in the stomach right now," said Stella Gehman, a patient of Newman's for 17 years. "I trusted him. I always thought he was down to earth." But authorities painted a different picture. They said, for the past five years, Newman, 67, wrote at least 250 prescriptions to drug-addicted women in exchange for sex. He is accused of prescribing drugs like Xanax, Oxycodone, and Percocet. "The doctor betrayed the trust he was instilled in," said Tanker. "These people came to him for help and they ended up being addicted to drugs because of him." Investigators said one of those women was Stacey Coffey, a 31-year-old mother who died of a drug overdose in April. Police said six of the drugs Newman prescribed to Coffey were found in her system. Newman has not been charged in connection with her death, but the investigation is ongoing. Investigators said they believe Newman was not only having sex at his office after hours, but also during work. Nobody answered the door at Newman's home, but those who live in his upscale Gwynedd Valley community said they were shocked to learn what their friendly neighbor is accused of. "I can't stomach it," said Gehman. "I really feel bad about it." Newman is currently free on bail. Copyright 2010 WFMZ. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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