A Morgantown, West Virginia physician has admitted to running a three-year scheme to feed his drug habit by stealing identities and doctor credentials. Chad Poage, D.O., 35, pleaded guilty to acquiring controlled substances through fraud, deception, and forgery, including using colleagues’ DEA registration numbers without permission and presenting stolen driver’s licenses at local pharmacies.
Poage, an orthopedic surgeon who practiced in Morgantown and Fairmont, admitted to writing 30 fraudulent prescriptions between November 2015 and March 2018. The prescriptions—filled under false pretenses—secured approximately 1,330 50-milligram tablets of Tramadol, 420 5-milligram tablets of Diazepam, and 50 30-milligram tablets of acetaminophen-codeine no. 3, all for his personal use.
Each fraudulent prescription bore the DEA number of a fellow physician without their knowledge or consent. In some cases, Poage wrote prescriptions under patient names, only to pick up the drugs himself. He further admitted to using stolen driver’s licenses on multiple occasions to bypass pharmacy verification systems and obtain the pills.
The case was brought as part of the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force, a federal initiative targeting opioid abuse and healthcare fraud across high-impact regions. The ARPO Strike Force, active since October 2018, has charged 60 defendants across 11 districts, focusing on medical professionals exploiting their access for illicit gain.
Investigation was led by the DEA, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the West Virginia State Police. Prosecution is being handled by Trial Attorney Patrick Mott of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Wagner of the Northern District of West Virginia.
Poage pleaded guilty to one count of acquiring or obtaining possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi. The case underscores the dark underbelly of prescription drug abuse—and how even those sworn to heal can become predators in plain sight.
Related Federal Cases
- Morgantown Man Myers Cops to Heroin Sales Near WVU · Michigan
- Morgantown Man Sentenced in Heroin, Cocaine Scheme · West Virginia
- MD Woman Funneled Drug Money to Dominican Republic · Maryland
- WV Drug Ring’s Sinaloa Link Unravels with Key Plea · Puerto Rico
- Terry Daugherty Sentenced · West Virginia
Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Drug TraffickingDrug TraffickingDrug TraffickingDrug Trafficking