Louis Hampers, former Children's Hospital ER doc, pleads guilty to prescription drug fraud

Hampers

Louis Hampers, the former Children's Hospital ER doctor charged with writing 654 phony prescriptions (in addition to harassing women he met on adult websites), won't be doctoring or online dating any time soon. He pleaded guilty today to fourteen counts of prescription drug fraud, each of which carries potential prison time.

Hampers was the subject of our feature, "Doctor Strange Love," which details his bizarre relationships with two women -- both of whom eventually filed restraining orders against him. One of the women, 9News investigative reporter Deborah Sherman, also filed a civil suit in which she alleges that he began threatening and harassing her by e-mail and voicemail after she broke a date with him.

In September 2010, about two months after Sherman filed her lawsuit, Hampers was arrested on charges that he used five aliases and eight fake patient names -- including that of a child whose mother Hampers paid for sex -- to fraudulently obtain drugs such as generic Vicodin, Valium and Ambien at local pharmacies. At a hearing later that month, Hampers's attorneys said he took the tens of thousands of pills himself. "This is a case about addiction, plain and simple," said attorney Craig Gillen.

In the midst of his legal trouble, Hampers forfeited his medical license. His attorneys say he also sought help through the Colorado Physician Health Program, which referred him to a drug treatment center in Virginia. Hampers was arrested there.

Hampers will be sentenced on October 20. The remaining 641 charges were dropped. But according to Jeff Dorschner, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, each of the fourteen counts carries a penalty of up to four years in federal prison, though sentencing guidelines suggest Hampers will serve less than the maximum time allowed. Stay tuned.

More from our Colorado Crimes archives: "Brenda Stewart: Ex-Denver Players owner cops plea, 69 other counts dropped (VIDEO)"