Dental Assistant and Family Members Sentenced for Illegal Opioid Distribution

Baltimore County Dental Assistant and Family Members Sentenced for Illegal Opioid Distribution

Published: 4/22/2026

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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BALTIMORE, MD **** – Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced the convictions and sentencing of Samantha Cook, Alice Deese, and Janice Deese for illegally distributing oxycodone prescription drugs to a licensed dentist.

“Abusing Medicare and Medicaid benefits to supply illegal opioids doesn’t just break the law, it devastates families and communities,” said Attorney General Brown. “These convictions reflect our commitment to dismantling the networks that fuel Maryland’s opioid crisis.”

Law enforcement received a complaint through a tip line that Dr. Andrew T. Fried was providing dental services to patients at his clinic, Perry Hall Family Dental, while under the influence of opioids. The complainant also reported that Dr. Fried was purchasing oxycodone pills from his part-time dental assistant, Samantha Cook.

From January 2025 through May 21, 2025, this Office, in conjunction with a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) taskforce, conducted physical surveillance of Dr. Fried, Cook, Alice Deese, and Janice Deese. Law enforcement utilized GPS tracking devices on Dr. Fried and Cooks’ vehicles. Surveillance revealed numerous meetings between Dr. Fried and Cook where they engaged in hand-to-hand drug transactions.

Financial records revealed that over the course of 18 months, Cook sold more than $100,000 worth of oxycodone to Dr. Fried. Cook admitted that she obtained her oxycodone supply from her mother, Alice Deese, who was a Medicaid recipient, and from her step-grandmother, Janice Deese, who was a Medicare recipient. As shown by Medicaid and Medicare claims data, Alice and Janice Deese utilized their Medicaid and Medicare benefits to pay for their office visits and prescription pills. Law enforcement conducted a search of Dr. Fried’s dental clinic and located an oxycodone prescription pill bottle that belonged to Alice Deese and a barbiturates prescription bottle that belonged to Janice Deese’s pet dog.

As part of his plea, Dr. Fried admitted that he purchased oxycodone pills on a weekly basis from Cook and practiced dentistry while under the influence of opioids. Cook, Alice Deese, and Janice Deese helped fuel the rise of opioid abuse and addiction in Baltimore County by selling oxycodone prescription drugs to Dr. Fried. Cook, Alice Deese, and Janice Deese also contributed to Dr. Fried practicing dentistry while under the influence of drugs, which endangered patient’s health and safety. Oxycodone is a Schedule II-Controlled Substance because its abuse can lead to addiction, illness, and even death.

Cook was sentenced to a 10-year suspended sentence with three years of supervised probation, 100 hours of community service, and is excluded from participating as a provider in any state or federal healthcare programs. Janice Deese was sentenced to probation before judgment with 18 months of supervised probation. Alice Deese was sentenced to probation before judgment with five years of supervised probation. Dr. Fried was previously sentenced to a 10-year suspended sentence with three years of supervised probation and is also excluded from participating as a provider in any state or federal healthcare programs.

In making today’s announcement, Attorney General Brown thanked Division Director Zak Shirley, Assistant Attorneys General Carolyne Evans and Lisa Marts, Investigators Jay Beeler and Ryan Jones, and Investigative Auditor Yelena Slutskaya of the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud and Vulnerable Victims Unit for their work on this case. Attorney General Brown also thanked the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the DEA, and the Maryland State Police for their assistance on this case.

The Maryland Office of the Attorney General, Medicaid Fraud and Vulnerable Victims Unit receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $7,119,096 for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2026. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $2,373,032 for FY 2026, is funded by the State of Maryland.

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