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Opioid overdose deaths case
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Dr Sanjay Mehta admits to illegally prescribing powerful opioids that led to two patient deaths in West Virginia
Dr Sanjay Mehta, an Indian-origin physician based in Shady Spring, West Virginia, has pleaded guilty to three felony charges in connection with the deaths of two patients who fatally overdosed on opioids after receiving unnecessary prescriptions from him. The guilty plea, entered on July 10, is part of a larger investigation into the now-defunct HOPE Clinic, a pain management facility operating in West Virginia and Virginia, reported gujaratsamachar.com.
Dr Mehta prescribed oxycodone and methadone without medical justification, leading to fatal overdoses.
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According to court documents, Dr Mehta admitted to unlawfully prescribing Schedule II opioids—including oxycodone and methadone—without any legitimate medical need while employed at the HOPE Clinic
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He had no training in pain management or proper narcotic prescription protocols when he joined the clinic
Two of the three patients who received these prescriptions died within days of their visits, triggering a federal investigation that led to Mehta’s 2018 indictment alongside several clinic associates.
Faces up to four years in prison and a $750,000 fine
Mehta is scheduled to be sentenced on October 31, and faces a maximum of four years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $750,000. He has also agreed to surrender his DEA registration and not apply for re-registration, effectively ending his ability to prescribe controlled substances in the future.
Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston stated, “This commitment stems from the recognition that such actions harm patients and undermine efforts to combat the epidemic.”
The case is part of a broader Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation aimed at tackling the opioid crisis and prosecuting healthcare providers who misuse their authority to distribute dangerous narcotics.
