A Martinsville doctor, Joel Smithers, 42, of Texarkana, Texas, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison after being found guilty on more than 450 counts related to illegal drug distribution. The sentencing took place in U.S. District Court in Abingdon following a three-week jury trial that concluded in December 2024.
Smithers was convicted of one count of maintaining a place for the purpose of illegally distributing controlled substances and 466 counts of illegally prescribing Schedule II controlled substances. Authorities reported that from August 2015 to August 2017, Smithers operated a medical office in Martinsville where he prescribed controlled substances to every patient, resulting in the distribution of over 500,000 Schedule II drugs such as oxymorphone, oxycodone, hydromorphone, and fentanyl. Many patients traveled hundreds of miles to obtain prescriptions from him. He did not accept insurance and collected more than $700,000 in cash and credit card payments before law enforcement executed a search warrant at his office on March 7, 2017.
Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci commented on the case: “This defendant’s actions betrayed his oath to his patients, his community, and the healthcare system at large,” Tracci said. “Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of these crimes, and the destruction wrought by the opioid epidemic in our communities, an epidemic fueled by the flagrant misconduct of Dr. Smithers. When doctors betray the trust placed in them, they must be held accountable.”
Christopher C. Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge for the DEA Washington Division stated: “Dr. Smithers failed his patients and the community he swore to serve. Healthcare providers play a vital role in dispensing medications that address their patients’ health requirements. By overprescribing and irresponsibly diverting dangerous controlled substances he put the citizens lives at risk. Not only did we conduct a criminal investigation into Dr. Smithers, but the DEA also revoked his DEA Registration. This action, and today’s sentence prevents him from prescribing medications, ensuring the safety of the public from his negligent practices.”
Attorney General Jason Miyares added: “Dr. Smithers operated like a drug dealer with a prescription pad, flooding communities with addictive and deadly opioids, all while pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars,” Miyares said. “I’m proud of the work done by my Major Crimes and Emerging Threats prosecutor M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, in partnership with our Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and federal and local law enforcement, to hold him accountable.”
Smithers’ previous conviction for these charges occurred in 2019; however, changes made by the United States Supreme Court regarding jury instructions for healthcare provider cases led to a new trial held in December 2024.
At sentencing this week, the court found that Smithers had obstructed justice by committing perjury during testimony at trial and determined he was a leader within this extensive criminal operation spanning two years beginning August 2015.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad (Roanoke and Bristol offices) led an investigation assisted by officers from several police departments across Virginia as well as state agencies including Virginia State Police and Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Assistant United States Attorneys Randy Ramseyer and Corey Hall prosecuted this most recent case along with Special Assistant United States Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen from Virginia’s Attorney General’s Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section.
