GREENBELT, Md. – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Anissa Maroof, age 47, a physician who owned and operated a practice in Bethesda, Maryland, for seven counts of dispensing or distributing controlled substance outside the usual course of professional practice and one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises. The indictment was returned on February 28, 2024, and unsealed upon Dr. Maroof’s arrest. She had her arraignment on April 1, 2024, in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Quereshi.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) – Washington Division.
According to the eight-count indictment, Anissa Maroof, a physician authorized to prescribe controlled substances for legitimate medical purposes, operated a medical practice in Bethesda, Maryland. The indictment alleges that on seven occasions in 2021 and 2022, Maroof knowingly and unlawfully dispensed and distributed controlled substances, specifically, dextroamphetamine-amphetamine, sold under the brand name Adderall; buprenorphine, sold as Suboxone and Subutex; and alprazolam, sold under the brand name Xanax, by writing prescriptions that were issued outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose.
Further, the indictment alleges that beginning in January 2019 and continuing through approximately June 2022, Maroof maintained a drug-involved premises—her practice in Bethesda—for the purpose of distributing controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose.
If convicted, Maroof faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for counts one, two and five for distributing controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice and for maintaining a drug-involved premises. She also faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for counts three, four, six, and seven of distributing controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and DEA for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher M. Sarma and Adam K. Ake, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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