Feds allege doctor ran deadly ‘pain pill mill’
http://www.9news.com/story/local/2013/08/26/1874846/
CRAIG, Colo. – The 9Wants to Know investigators have learned the feds arrested a well-known doctor who they allege has been over prescribing prescription pain medication that resulted in two patient deaths and many other patients getting medication to feed their addictions.
A grand jury has handed up an 35-count indictment against Dr. Joel Miller charging him with a long list of crimes including heath care fraud, money laundering, dispensing a controlled substance and dispensing a controlled substance resulting in death.
In an exclusive interview, Dr. Joel Miller denies that he has done anything wrong or that he is responsible for any patient deaths.
“The question, ‘Did any of my patients die because of the medication I gave them,’ and the answer is, ‘No,'” Miller said in an interview taped weeks before his arrest.
Federal court documents containing the charges were made public Monday afternoon, a day earlier than originally expected.
Miller calls the investigation, being conducted by the Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Administration, a witch-hunt.
“I’m David and the Department of Justice is Goliath,” Miller said.
He believes federal agents are going after him to boost their drug-related arrest numbers. He says agents know small town doctors don’t have a lot of money for expensive attorneys.
Since the DEA took away Miller’s certification to prescribe powerful pain medication, more than a dozen of Miller’s patients have called 9NEWS to say they stand behind the doctor.
Former patients describe Miller as an excellent doctor who was well-liked and well respected in the Craig community.
Miller says he believes he will win his case against the government and plans to be back practicing medicine.
“That is where I belong. That’s the only place I’ve ever wanted to be since I started medical school, in a small town like Craig,” Miller said.
Have a comment or tip for investigative reporter Jace Larson? Call him at 303-871-1432 or e-mail him
jace.larson@9news.com
Filed under: General Problems
William Saraff thanks this is laughable?
What’s laughable about destroying the career of the position of help this community for years?
What’s criminal is that his patients turned out testified for him and it made no difference…
Interestingly, Dr. Miller and many other physicians have been excused of distribution of dangerous drugs. He only wrote a prescription. The pharmacist distributed it
That’s the point: most drugs have some element of danger to them. In the past the physicians were entrusted with the skill and Heart to determine which dangerous drug is appropriate for each patient.
Now, Monday morning quarterbacks like WS laugh leafily about the difficultY of a fellow healthcare professional. How low are we going to go?
The DEAtheaters have taken over. As the previous comment illustrates: the witchhunt is active the torches are lit everybody’s got a pitchfork
You’re kidding us with this one, right Steve? This article only gives one side of the story (the pill mill doc’s) and he STILL sounds guilty as hell. Its laughable that he wants people to believe the feds put in all the time and resources to get indictments against him because he’s a good doctor. Instead of talking to his former patients, the 9Wants to Know investigators should talk to some of the local pharmacists. I’m curious to see if they think he’s well liked and well respected.