LITTLE ROCK— The Grimy Times has learned that Dr. Richard Duane Johns, 49, of Little Rock, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute oxycodone without an effective prescription in a federal court on Thursday. Dr. Johns was responsible for illegally distributing at least 39,000 pills, with a street value of more than $1,000,000.
According to court records, Dr. Johns pleaded guilty to a one-count superseding information before Chief United States District Court Judge Brian S. Miller, who will pronounce sentence at a later date. The conviction carries a maximum possible sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, $1,000,000 fine, and three years’ supervised release.
As part of the plea agreement, Dr. Johns agreed to forfeit $155,620 that constituted proceeds of the conspiracy, and a Ford F250 truck that facilitated the conspiracy. The money and vehicle were seized during the investigation. Additionally, the parties have agreed to litigate at the time of sentencing any additional amount of money that is to be forfeited as proceeds of the conspiracy.
“Dr. Johns, while purporting to be a health-care professional, is nothing more than a common drug dealer,” said Christopher R. Thyer, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas. “With opioid abuse continuing to kill at alarming rates, and an opioid epidemic sweeping across the country, the fact that doctors sworn to help people are contributing to the problem is unconscionable. Dr. Johns will soon face the consequences of his illegal actions, and we will continue to aggressively pursue any health care professionals who have similar criminal thoughts in mind.”
The conspiracy primarily operated in Lonoke, White, and Pulaski counties. On May 18, 2015, the Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office took Dr. Johns into custody charging him with 187 counts of violating the Arkansas controlled substances act, a class C state felony. The federal indictment later charged Dr. Johns and 18 others in a conspiracy to distribute oxycodone. Dr. Johns was charged in six additional counts of illegal distribution of oxycodone which have been dismissed by the United States as part of the plea agreement.
This investigation began in November 2014 when Lonoke County Sheriff’s detectives responded to an opioid overdose death of an individual outside Cabot. The Sheriff’s Office solicited the assistance of the DEA, and the agencies began a joint investigation to determine the source of the oxycodone which led to the overdose. The investigation determined that 187 fraudulent prescriptions for oxycodone written by Dr. Johns had been filled and distributed since July 2014 in Lonoke County alone. The prescriptions totaled approximately 16,830 oxycodone pills with a street value of $504,900. A total of 38 individuals associated with Dr. Johns were charged with violating the Arkansas controlled substances act in Lonoke County Circuit Court. To date, 17 of those individuals have entered guilty pleas.
“This was a tremendous effort by all our agencies working together to get a drug dealing doctor off the streets before even more people were hurt,” said Lonoke County Prosecutor Chuck Graham.
White County Prosecutor Rebecca Reed praised the investigation, saying, “This investigation was an excellent show of cooperation between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Opioid addiction is a serious problem in our community and this case brought the topic to the forefront of substance abuse discussions.”
Related Federal Cases
- Richard Duane Johns, Oxycodone Distribution, AR 2024 · Arkansas
- Aaron Peila, Oxycodone Distribution and Money Laundering, UT 2023 · Washington
- Bank of England, VA Loan Scam, Arkansas, 2023 · Iowa
- Scottron Cordell Medlock, Methamphetamine Distribution, Shreveport … · Georgia
- Daniel Wayne Mauldin, Oxycodone Conspiracy, Muskogee OK, 2014 · Oklahoma
Key Facts
- State: Arkansas
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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