More serious penalties apply when a pharmacist fills a prescription, or a doctor or dentist writes a prescription, during a time when that person’s license is suspended or after the license is expired. Assuming the patient is entitled to the prescription, the health care provider will probably be prosecuted for a regulatory offense rather than illegal drug distribution, but the penalties for that offense (and for some other offenses involving deception) are more severe.
Those crimes carry a maximum sentence of four years. Again, the maximum penalty doubles for a second offense and additional penalties, including fines and supervised release, can be imposed.