The Pennsylvania Department of State has sanctioned six local licensed professionals, including a Wind Gap surgeon who prescribed a narcotic painkiller 50 times more powerful than heroin to patients who didn't need it.

Kenneth Paul Sun of Wind Gap had his license to practice as a medical physician and surgeon temporarily suspended, pending a hearing, on the grounds that his continued practice may be an immediate and clear danger to the public health and safety.According to the state, Sun's license was temporarily suspended in New Jersey on Dec. 28, 2016.According to the New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners, Sun "indiscriminately prescribed a highly potent and near-instantaneous acting sublingual spray formulation of fentanyl - an opiate that is about 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more powerful than morphine - to several noncancer patients for whom the drug was contraindicated."Pennsylvania temporarily suspended Sun's license on Dec. 30, 2016. Sun has not been charged with a criminal offense in Pennsylvania.In Carbon County, the state Board of Vehicle Manufacturers, Dealers and Salespersons suspended for one year the license of Michael C. Klinger of Jim Thorpe.The suspension was immediately stayed in favor of probation, and Klinger was ordered to pay a $1,500 civil penalty and an $846.75 assessment fee to offset the costs of the investigation.According to the Department of State, Klinger "failed or refused to account for money or other valuables belonging to others, which came into his possession arising out of transactions on Nov, 11, 2009; Jan. 2, 2010, and Sept. 7, 2010.The state's sanctions were issued on Jan. 10.In Schuylkill County, the state permanently revoked the license of dentist Robert H Kempes Jr. of Schuylkill Haven.Kempes voluntarily surrendered his license, according to the state, because he "engaged in unprofessional conduct by departing from, or failing to conform to, the standards of acceptable and prevailing dental or dental hygiene practice."The state revoked his license on Jan. 20.The state Board of Nursing suspended indefinitely the license of Jill Christy Steiff of Ashland.The suspension is retroactive to May 26, 2016.Steiff was ordered to pay $350 to offset the costs of the investigation.According to the state, Steiff was "addicted to alcohol or to hallucinogenic drugs or narcotic drugs or other drugs which tend to impair judgment or coordination.The state took the action on Jan. 13.Two Northampton County professionals were also sanctioned.The state Board of Vehicle Manufacturers, Dealers and Salespersons required Christopher A. Jacob of Easton to voluntarily surrender his license because he was convicted, or entered a plea of guilty, or entered a plea of nolo contendere to forgery, embezzlement, obtaining money under false pretenses, extortion, conspiracy to defraud, bribery, odometer tampering or any other crime involving moral turpitude.The state took the action on Jan. 10.The Pennsylvania Board of Podiatry revoked the license of Francis J. Kaczmarek of Bethlehem based on findings that he practiced without an active license.The state revoked his license on Nov. 8, 2016.