ABINGDON, VA – Joel Smithers, 42, of Texarkana, Texas, will spend the next four decades in federal prison after a jury found him guilty of turning his Martinsville medical practice into a drug distribution hub. The sentence, handed down today in U.S. District Court, reflects the sheer scale of his criminal enterprise: 466 counts of illegally prescribing Schedule II controlled substances, and one count of maintaining a place for illegal drug distribution. Smithers wasn’t healing patients; he was feeding addiction.
The evidence painted a grim picture of a doctor who treated every patient as a potential opioid source. Beginning in August 2015, Smithers’ practice became notorious for its unrestrained prescribing of highly addictive drugs – oxymorphone, oxycodone, hydromorphone, and fentanyl. Over 500,000 Schedule II controlled substances flowed from his office, attracting patients who traveled hundreds of miles one-way to score prescriptions. He didn’t bother with insurance, preferring a lucrative cash and credit card business that raked in over $700,000 before law enforcement raided his office on March 7, 2017.
Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci didn’t mince words: “This defendant’s actions betrayed his oath to his patients, his community, and the healthcare system at large.” The sentence, Tracci emphasized, is a direct response to the devastation caused by the opioid epidemic – an epidemic Smithers actively fueled. Christopher C. Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Washington Division, added that Smithers “failed his patients and the community,” and that the DEA’s revocation of his DEA registration, combined with the sentence, protects the public from his “negligent practices.”
This isn’t the first time Smithers faced these charges. He was initially convicted in 2019, but a Supreme Court ruling regarding jury instructions in healthcare provider drug distribution cases necessitated a new trial. The December 2024 trial proved beyond a doubt that Smithers knowingly and deliberately abused his position of trust for personal gain. Attorney General Jason Miyares condemned Smithers’ behavior, calling him “a drug dealer with a prescription pad.”
During sentencing, the judge found Smithers obstructed justice by lying on the stand. The court also determined Smithers was the ringleader of this criminal operation, which spanned from August 2015 to August 2017, and that he abused his position of public trust and misused his medical skills. The investigation was a collaborative effort involving the DEA’s Tactical Diversion Squad (Roanoke and Bristol offices), the Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, and a coalition of local and state law enforcement agencies.
Assistant United States Attorneys Rand handled the prosecution. The case serves as a stark reminder that those who exploit the healthcare system for profit and endanger lives will face the full force of the law. Smithers’ 40-year sentence isn’t just about punishment; it’s a message: the opioid crisis is a serious crime, and those responsible will be held accountable, even if they wear a white coat.
RELATED: Martinsville Doc Sentenced to 40 Years for Drug Dealing
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Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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