PENDLETON (Oct. 28, 2014)– Agents from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), detectives from the Madison County Drug Task Force, Indiana State Police and Pendleton Police carried out a raid that led to the arrest of a Madison County physician on multiple drug charges.
Dr. Eric Jones is accused of dispensing controlled substances without prescriptions or medical examination from an office in downtown Pendleton. Investigators claim Jones operated a cash business, providing prescriptions to non-patients and attended Botox parties in Indianapolis where he participants would receive medication with virtually no medical oversight.
“The investigation was begun in January of this year concerning some complaints that had come in,” said Deputy Prosecutor Steve Koester who indicated investigators were looking for, “documentary evidence through inspect of drugs coming in, drugs going out of that office or being prescribed by that doctor would be one way that we could check on these types of things. Sometimes we can use undercover or informants in these type of activities to see what type of information we can glean.”
The Affidavit for the Search Warrant at Jones’ West Main Street office, his home and two automobiles lists the doctor’s attendance at Botox parties in Indianapolis as recently as last week and redacts the names of dozens of non-patients who received various medications.
“What would send up red flags for a weight loss clinic is prescribing Adderall or amphetamines or there’s a lot of controlled substances by statute there has to be a certain method that a doctor has to go through, certain activities he has to go through before he can prescribe a controlled substance for weight loss,” said Koester. “In my experience if a doctor’s office is running a cash only that would certainly send up a red flag.”
A patient told FOX59 News that she was stunned by the allegations.
“Dr. Jones has been nothing but fabulous to all the people in Pendleton,” said Rhonda Pitman. “I just started going to him in August and he’s just been nothing but very professional, very nice, you just couldn’t ask for a more wonderful doctor.”
Jones’ staff told FOX59 News he would not be available for comment regarding the investigation.
Investigators seized records and computers from the practice.
In spite of the arrest, the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency would be responsible for revoking Jones’ medical license pending the investigation.
