State licensure boards take action against professionals

A former Schuylkill County medical professional who, with other family members was charged last year with fraudulently obtained 9,180 powerful prescription pills has surrendered her license.

Virginia M. Vesay, 63, of Minersville, permanently and voluntarily surrendered her license to the state Board of Medicine because she is guilty of immoral or unprofessional conduct in that she was convicted of a felony offense in violation of the board’s regulations and had a license or other authorization to practice the profession disciplined by the proper licensing authority of another state.

She was charged by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General on Jan. 13, 2016, with acquiring or obtaining possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery or deception; possession of a controlled substance, persons required to hold a medical license; identity theft and distribution of a controlled substance using a suspended or revoked Drug Enforcement Administration registration number.

The crimes were committed in 2014.

She pleaded guilty to conspiracy and was placed on probation for three years. The remaining charges were dropped.

Vesay was among several licensed professionals who recently faced disciplinary actions by the state in November.

Schuylkill County

The state Board of Auctioneer Examiners suspended the license of Karen E. Arner-Moyer of New Ringgold for six months and imposed a civil penalty of $10,000 and costs of investigation, for failing to obtain a written contract for consignment of auction items, maintain a record of sales related to items consigned, open records for inspection, provide records to investigator as requested, provide a written receipt of all items sold or unaccounted for related to consigned items, immediately deposit monies into escrow account, pay individual or account for all items consigned at auction, pay over monies received from the sale of all items consigned within a reasonable time and meet the standards of honesty and competence.

The license of R.A. Arner Auctioneer LLC, of New Ringgold, was suspended for six months and had to pay for the costs of investigation for its failure to account for or to pay over money belonging to others which have come into the possession of the company arising out of a sales transaction within a reasonable time and by engaging in conduct in connection with a sales transaction which demonstrates incompetency, bad faith or dishonesty.

The state Board of Nursing suspended the license of Tahnee N. Spicer of Tower City, based on her misdemeanor conviction under the Drug Act.

Monroe County

The state Board of Cosmetology denied a license to Jerimyah Rabinowitz of Henryville due to not being of sufficient good moral character.

The board also suspended the license of Coumba Gaye, doing business as Senegalese of New York, natural hair braiding salon of Stroudsburg, for failing to pay a previously imposed civil penalty.

The state Board of Nursing suspended the license of Susan Davies Hurst of Tobyhanna for six months, but stayed the suspension in favor of probation. She was ordered to pay a civil penalty in the amount of $500, and ordered to successfully complete at least 10 hours of remedial education on the topics of ethics and/or patient confidentiality no later than 12 months from the date of the order.

According to the board, she engaged in unprofessional conduct when she accessed her co-worker’s medical records containing personal health information without authorization; and she failed to safeguard the confidentiality of patient information.

Lehigh County

The state Board of Barber Examiners denied a barber’s license to Ahmed Meyreles of Macungie, based on his felony conviction.

The state Board of Cosmetology placed Fior D. Paulino of Allentown on probation for one year and ordered him to pay a civil penalty of $1,000, an assessment fee of $75.08 toward costs of investigation, and a public reprimand was placed on her permanent disciplinary record with the board because she violated the board regulation by practicing cosmetology without a current and active license.

The state Board of Dentistry accepted the voluntary and permanent surrender of the license of Andrea Trump of Schnecksville, because she failed to abide by a lawful board order.

The state Board of Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists indefinitely and actively suspended the license of Matthew P. McTish of Orefield for at least three years, retroactive to April 28, 2016, and imposed a civil penalty of $10,000, because he was convicted of conspiracy to commit bribery offenses, a felony, which involved conduct related to the practice of engineering.

The state Board of Nursing indefinitely suspended the license of Tara L. Williams of Slatington, retroactive to July 27, 2017. After three months of active suspension, she may seek a stay of the active suspension with no less than five years of probation.

The action was taken because she is unable to practice nursing with reasonable skill and safety to patients by reason of physical or mental illness or condition or physiological or psychological dependence upon drugs or alcohol and because she violated a lawful disciplinary order of the board.

The state Board of Vehicle Manufacturers, Dealers and Salespersons granted Stefhon C. Buchanan, of Allentown, a probationary license to run concurrent with his criminal parole including the payment of costs, fines and restitution.

The state Board of Veterinary Medicine publicly reprimanded and placed on probation Michael W. Peters, of Allentown, based upon his conviction of a crime of moral turpitude.