Annandale doctor who regularly prescribed “excessively high” opioid amounts pleads guilty

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - An Annandale doctor pleaded guilty today to maintaining a drug-involved premises.

According to court documents, Lino Cueto Montilla, 57, was licensed to practice medicine in 1995. Montilla practiced as an obstetrician-gynecologist (ob-gyn). Montilla did not specialize in pain management, nor did he receive training on how to treat patients suffering from chronic pain.

From 1999 to 2015, Montilla worked as an ob-gyn with Fairfax Ob-Gyn Associates, rarely prescribing Schedule II pain medication to his patients. In January2016, Montilla began to treat patients at Fairfax Pain Clinic (FPC), which specialized in pain management. From January 2016 through September 2020, Montilla was the primary doctor prescribing Schedule II controlled substances at FPC.

FPC was only open during the morning on two days per week. During an approximate three-hour period on those days, Montilla would see and prescribe opioids to approximately 20 patients, spending, on average, less than 10 minutes with each patient. Despite conducting only cursory exams of patients, Montilla prescribed excessive amounts of opioids to many of these patients for years.

Montilla prescribed high opioid dosing without first confirming diagnoses, performing relevant medical examinations, or reviewing prior medical records, which were relevant and necessary steps when prescribing such high opioid dosages. Montilla rarely ordered his patients to seek physical therapy or any other treatment for their chronic pain. Montilla maintained very limited documentation in the patient files, including failing to document his reasons for prescribing high opioid dosages.

Montilla is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 9. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack Morgan and Zoe Bedell are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-72.