Ex Irvine doctor gets 12 years in prison for illegally distributing more than 120,000 opioids

IRVINE, Calif. (KABC) -- A former Irvine doctor has been sentenced for illegally distributing more than 120,000 opioids to patients.

Dzung Pham will spend more than 12 years in prison for the illegal drug sales.

He was also fined $35,000.

Pham pleaded guilty last year to conspiring to illegally prescribe opioid pills over a six-year span in exchange for cash and insurance payments.

Prosecutors say five people who received prescriptions from Pham died of overdoses.