Investigations
FMCSA Suspends Redding California Company and its Owner from Providing DOT Drug Testing Services
On May 2, 2014, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued Notices of Suspension to Demetri Dearth, and to her company, Advanced Substance Abuse Programs (ASAP), both of Redding, California. The suspensions are based on Dearth's August 22, 2013, indictment in U.S. District Court, Sacramento, California. The indictment charged Dearth with allegedly falsifying drug test results required by and provided to FMCSA and/or other DOT agencies.
Our investigation found that between March 2009 and February 2010, ASAP collected urine specimens on behalf of 80 trucking companies that employed commercial drivers. Dearth did not foward many of the urine specimens to certified laboratories and failed to have a medical review officer (MRO) review the drug test results for the specimens collected. She created false and fraudulent Custody and Control Forms and MRO reports indicating that the drug tests had come back negative and had purportedly been reviewed and signed by the MROs. Dearth then mailed invoices to her clients, billing them for urine specimen testing.
We investigated this case with assistance from the California Highway Patrol and the DOT, Office of the Secretary, Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy Compliance.