The last hold out in the Kauffman drug ring quietly pleaded guilty to a disorderly persons offense Friday.
Paul Pagano was determined to go to trial after rejecting a plea deal last month that would have given him no jail time — but would have had him admit to drug possession.
“Why would I admit to doing something wrong that I still do and it’s legal?” he asked outside the courtroom in December, pointing out that he is still legally prescribed the same drug he got from Dr. James Kauffman.
But on Friday, the state offered a deal that would end the case with just a seemingly rare disorderly persons charge.
Pagano admitted that Kauffman overprescribed him Oxycontin, and that — rather than turn the extras over to the police — he took them.
“His back is a mangled mess,” attorney Charles Peruto Jr. told BreakingAC of why Pagano needs the pills.
The case that began with much fanfare got its last plea in a courtroom devoid of any media. It was revealed by journalist Kevin Shelly in his #KauffmanCase Facebook group that has delved deeply into the case.
The charge of “failure to make lawful disposition of a CDS” is a disorderly persons offense, which ended up requiring Pagano pay only $110 in fees.
He was able to keep his driver’s license and casino license, Peruto noted. He also was able to save the time and cost of going to trial.
“Obviously, we weren’t going to turn that down,” Peruto said.
The remaining defendants who have pleaded guilty are expected to be sentenced next month. One defendant, Tabitha Chapman, is still awaiting a decision on being accepted into pretrial intervention. If that happens, she will not be sentenced, but would have to complete a program instead.
