Former doctor Joel Smithers convicted on 467 counts for illegally prescribing over 500,000 opioids.

A federal court in Abingdon has convicted former Martinsville doctor, Joel Smithers, on 467 counts related to illegally distributing controlled substances, including opioids. Smithers, 42, prescribed over 500,000 Schedule II drugs to patients from five states between 2015 and 2017. The charges stem from his alleged role in the opioid crisis. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $1 million per count. Smithers was previously sentenced to 40 years but received a new trial due to legal errors.

3 months ago
10 Articles