UPDATE: Norton physician sent to prison for 9 years for health care, prescription drug violations

A Norton, Virginia doctor who pleaded guilty in December to health care fraud in federal court will spend the next nine years in prison.

A judge handed down that sentence to Dr. Raymond Michael Moore who prosecutors said illegally prescribed tens of thousands of narcotics for non-medical purposes to patients then took a portion of those pills back for personal use.

Moore, 62, of Wise, Virginia, agreed to surrender his medical practice and license in October and has forfeited more than $100,000 to state Medicaid officials.

(PHOTO: Unsplash)