Jury finds Georgia doctor guilty of conspiring to falsify DOT exams

A federal jury has found a Georgia doctor guilty of one of two charges for his role in falsifying Department of Transportation medical exams. The examiner was indicted in February after an investigation discovered he had signed off on certificates without ever conducting an exam.

In June, jurors in the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Georgia found Dr. Mark Griffis guilty of one count of conspiracy. However, the jury found Griffis not guilty on the charge of falsification of records.

According to the indictment, from February 2012 to September 2013, Griffis conspired with other persons to falsify DOT medical exams in the counties of Dodge and Telfair in southern Georgia. At least one person not qualified to perform the exams conducted the CDL exams and made false entries of test results. Griffis knowingly falsified the reports and exams by signing off on the exams, thereby acknowledging he had performed the exams himself.

Griffis would supply his co-conspirator with blank, pre-signed reports and certificates. The co-conspirator would receive payments from CDL holders in exchange for the false certification. Griffis received at least $5,200 from the co-conspirator in exchange for the falsified reports and exams.

The falsification of records charge comes from a single incident on Sept. 13, 2013. On that day, a CDL holder known to the grand jury was given a report and certificate allegedly falsified by Griffis. The jury found the doctor not guilty of that charge.

Griffis filed a motion for acquittal soon after he was found guilty, according to court records. His attorneys argued there was insufficient evidence to sustain a conviction. Griffis also claimed evidence revealed that the co-conspirator told him she was certified to conduct DOT exams, indicating no intent on his part to participate in a conspiracy. That motion for a judgment of acquittal was denied on July 11.

Sentencing had not been scheduled as of July 24.