BECKLEY, W.Va. – Sanjay Mehta, D.O., 57, from Shady Spring, has pleaded guilty to three counts of aiding and abetting obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The charges stem from his time at the HOPE (Hitech Opioid Pharmachovigilance Expertise) Clinic, a pain management facility operating in West Virginia and Virginia.
Mehta admitted that he worked at the Beckley HOPE Clinic from November 2012 to July 2013 and the Beaver HOPE Clinic from August 2013 to May 2015, despite having little experience with chronic pain patients and no training in prescribing Schedule II narcotics for such conditions.
In his guilty plea, Mehta confessed to writing prescriptions without medical purpose for oxycodone, methadone, and Roxicodone. Two of the three individuals who received these prescriptions succumbed to opioid intoxication shortly after.
Scheduled for sentencing on October 31, 2025, Mehta faces up to four years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $750,000 fine. He has also agreed to surrender his DEA registration and not oppose the revocation of his controlled substances registration.
Mehta was initially indicted in 2018 along with others associated with HOPE Clinic and Patients, Physicians, and Pharmacists Fighting Diversion (PPPFD). Mark T. Radcliffe, 68, and Michael T. Moran, M.D., 60, are set for trial on October 6, 2025.
Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston emphasized the office’s commitment to justice in the face of the opioid crisis, praising the investigative efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies. Acting Special Agent in Charge Ronald Dawkins highlighted the importance of holding medical professionals accountable for their role in drug distribution.
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Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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