Chiropractor charged with practicing without license [Sun Journal, Lewiston, Maine]

Jan. 6--AUBURN -- A Lewiston chiropractor continued to practice and billed public and private insurers for more than a year after his state license was revoked, authorities said.

Ted T. Stokes, 52, of 1104 Route 202 in Greene was arrested last week and charged with theft by deception, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. He also was charged with unlicensed practice, a misdemeanor.

Stokes could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

He was released on $5,000 unsecured bond. If he were to fail to appear in court when summoned, he would owe the state that amount. He is prohibited from leaving the state and was required to turn over his passport if he has one, according to court papers. He also must maintain regular contact with his attorney and must not practice chiropractic.

He's scheduled to be in Androscoggin County Superior Court in Auburn for arraignment at the end of the month.

At a June hearing before the state's licensing board, Stokes said he had continued to see patients from Sept. 20, 2008, when his license was revoked, until the day of the hearing. He also said he failed to tell some of his patients his license had been revoked and failed to alert any of the insurers of the revocation, court papers said.

An investigator with the board said he told Stokes in December 2008 that he couldn't continue to practice with a revoked license.

A friend and former patient of Stokes told authorities that Stokes continued practicing into December and was getting paid in cash, according to an affidavit sworn by James Giola, a law enforcement officer with the Maine Attorney General's Office. An officer staked out Stokes' home and former office at 583 Main St. in December on two days, a week apart, and witnessed vehicles coming and going. A check of those vehicle registrations confirmed they were patients who Stokes had previously sent bills for services to MaineCare and Anthem Blue Cross, the investigator wrote.

Stokes was licensed as a chiropractor in Maine in 1988. He was divorced from his wife and ordered to pay child support, but fell into arrears totaling about $10,000 as of March, according to board records. His driver's license also was suspended because of the money owed for child support.

After being served a cease and desist notice in December 2008, Stokes continued his practice and billing for services. He was paid $4,790.33 by Anthem Blue Cross as of February. He owed MaineCare $2,972.40 as of May 8 for payments received. He stopped billing insurers after getting notice of his June hearing, according to board records.

In September, his Main Street home and office were foreclosed by Mechanics Savings Bank, according to a legal ad that appeared in a December edition of Sun Journal. A public sale is scheduled for later this month in Auburn.

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