AUGUSTA — A former Portland psychologist on Tuesday was sentenced to four years in prison and ordered to repay $20,000 after pleading guilty to defrauding the state’s medical assistance program.

Kennebec County Superior Court Justice Robert Mullen sentenced David Alan Bradley, 64, of Florida, to serve an initial nine months of a four-year prison sentence with the remainder of the sentence suspended, followed by three years of probation. Mullen also ordered Bradley to repay $20,000 as restitution. Bradley admitted having stolen more than $40,000 from the state between September 2010 and June 2011 by submitting hundreds of fraudulent MaineCare claims.

According to court records, Bradley was denied a renewal of his psychologist’s license in Maine in 2009, based on a Maine Board of Examiners of Psychologists finding that he had “committed multiple professional and ethical violations,” and that denial was upheld in November 2011 by a Superior Court judge.

“A day hasn’t gone by that I have not felt shame or remorse,” an emotional Bradley said, adding that he has sought rehabilitation. “I hope the court will take that into consideration. I have changed.”

Assistant Attorney General Valerie Wright on Tuesday said Bradley billed MaineCare for outpatient services that he could not have provided because he was either in jail or in Florida at the time the counseling was claimed to have taken place. Wright said state law requires services be provided in person in order to qualify for MaineCare. She said Bradley admitted he was aware of the law.

Wright said the state had evidence of Bradley’s travel and jail terms and of the bills he submitted that corresponded with those absences.

Bradley has a criminal history that includes a pair of convictions for operating under the influence and one conviction for operating after suspension.

Bradley’s attorney, Scott Hess, said most of the stolen money was used to care for Bradley’s sick father, but Wright said Bradley’s family claimed he offered little help with expenses. Wright said receipts indicate that Bradley instead was giving money to a girlfriend.

“He used the debit card virtually every day for his life expenses,” Wright said. “He was not terribly helpful in the care of his parents.”

Hess argued for a reduced restitution because of Bradley’s age and mental and physical maladies.

“I can’t think of a person that would hire him,” Hess said.

Wright and Mullen, however, said Bradley had not documented physical ailments.

“I don’t think he’ll be able to work as a psychologist, because he doesn’t have a license,” Wright said, “but I do think he has some transferable skills.”

Hess said Bradley had created a stable life in Florida.

“The risk of incarceration derailing that is significant,” he said.

Mullen, in weighing restitution, said he was confined by state law, which prohibits judges from ordering a payment that would put an extreme financial burden on the defendant.

“He has a reduced capacity, but not a total inability to make restitution,” Mullen said. “I believe the restitution is in accordance with the law and reality.”

This story has been corrected to accurately reflect David Alan Bradley’s sentence. 

Craig Crosby — 621-5642

ccrosby@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @CraigCrosby4