Pathologist sentenced for misdiagnosing vet’s cancer and hiding alcohol use, feds say

A former pathologist at an Arkansas veteran’s hospital is going to prison after misdiagnosing a patient who died of cancer, authorities say.

Robert Levy, who was chief of pathology at the Fayetteville VA Medical Center, was sentenced last week to 20 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and mail fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas.

Levy conducted a “cursory and rudimentary” biopsy workup of an Air Force veteran’s tumor from a lymph node and diagnosed him with large B cell lymphoma in 2014, authorities say. Then he falsely stated in the veteran’s medical record that a second pathologist agreed with his diagnosis, authorities say.

Unsure whether Levy’s diagnosis was correct, another pathologist urged him to perform more tests for confirmation, authorities say.

Later that year, the veteran died of small cell carcinoma after receiving no treatment for the disease, authorities say.

“The veteran was not treated for small cell carcinoma due to Levy’s grossly and criminally negligent conduct that demonstrated a wanton and reckless disregard for the veteran’s life,” officials said in a news release.

Levy also was sentenced in a scheme to cover up his alcohol use after he was accused of being drunk on the job in 2016, authorities say. A test revealed his blood alcohol content was .396 percent, the news release says.

After he underwent treatment, Levy submitted to random drug testing as part of an agreement to return to the hospital. However, authorities say he purchased 2-methyl-2-butanol, an intoxicating chemical not detected by routine drug and alcohol testing, a dozen times from June 2017 through 2018, authorities say.

“The victims of this case are people who gave selflessly to ensure the safety and security of the United States. They deserve the best medical care that we can provide for them. They deserve to have doctors in charge of their treatment who are dedicated and vigilant, just as these victims were in their service to our country,” Acting U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes said in a statement. “Instead, this defendant’s criminal conduct in this case caused irreparable harm to the victims and their families.”

This story was originally published January 25, 2021 at 1:36 PM with the headline "Pathologist sentenced for misdiagnosing vet’s cancer and hiding alcohol use, feds say."