Decatur-based doctor suspended after investigation into woman’s overdose death

DECATUR, Ala. (WAFF) - The Alabama State Board of Medical Examiners suspended a Decatur-based doctor’s medical license on June 16 for his connection to the overdose death of a woman.

According to court documents, Sammy Becdach had his license suspended for prescribing controlled substances for reasons other than medical and sexual misconduct in the practice of medicine.

The woman died of an overdose on Dec. 18, 2020. On Dec. 31, 2020, Pelham Police told the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners that the woman overdosed on medicine prescribed to her by Becdach.

The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program told the board that Becdach issued at least nine prescriptions to the victim between June 18, 2019 and Nov. 18, 2020. Five of those prescriptions were for Oxycodone-Acetaminophen 10-325 (190 pills) the other four prescriptions were for Alprazolam 1 mg (240 pills).

Pelham Police showed the board three videos that were obtained from the victim’s phone, two of the three videos show both Becdach and the victim engaging in sexual activity.

In March 2021, the victim’s mother was interviewed by the board and during that interview, the mother gave a glimpse into the relationship between Becdach and the victim.

“He was buying her all kinds of things and she couldn’t hide it because he bought her a car,” the victim’s mother said.

According to court documents, the victim’s mother says that her daughter met Becdach when she was 18 and working as a hostess. She also said that her daughter moved to Huntsville at the request and expense of Becdach.

The mother claims that he paid to furnish her apartment, paid her bills and gave her a credit card with “no limit.”

According to court documents, a friend of the victim and the victim’s mother both say that the victim told them she was drugged and raped on two or three occasions.

The victim allegedly told her mother that she was afraid to leave because Becdach claimed he could make people “disappear” and that he said he had done so before.

In April 2021, Becdach sent a written response to the Pelham Police in which he admitted to engaging in sexual intercourse with the victim on more than one occasion. He also admitted that he wrote her at least seven prescriptions. He then told police that the first sexual encounter with the victim took place in the fall of 2017.

A friend of the victim claims that the victim did not have an opioid addiction prior to meeting Becdach and that he was fueling the addiction and using it to control her.

Court documents show six charges for Becdach:

• Two counts of unprofessional conduct.
• Practicing medicine in such a manner as to endanger the health of a patient.
• Distribution by prescription of controlled substances for reasons other than legitimate medical purpose.
• Failure to maintain medical record for patient.
• Failure to comply with any rule of the Board of Medical Examiners

The board is continuing its investigation into Becdach and the investigation may result in additional charges.

Clearview Cancer Institute says that Becdach is no longer with the Institute and that it will not comment on the ongoing investigation.

See below to view the court documents referenced.

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