A federal jury in the Middle District of Tennessee has found a medical doctor, Bowdoin Smith, guilty of unlawfully distributing controlled substances.
The evidence presented at the trial and court documents revealed that Bowdoin Smith, aged 67 and from Carthage, Tennessee, unlawfully prescribed controlled substances, including opioids like oxycodone and morphine. As a doctor of osteopathy, he owned and operated a general practice medical clinic in Carthage. However, it was determined that he knowingly prescribed opioids outside the usual course of professional practice and without any legitimate medical purpose.
Back in 2012, the Tennessee Department of Health had placed Smith’s medical license on probation for three years due to his consistent over-prescribing of controlled substances, beyond what was medically necessary for his patients. Unfortunately, even after the probation period ended, Smith continued to write unlawful prescriptions between 2016 and 2019, showing disregard for the signs of drug abuse and addiction in his patients.
The jury found Smith guilty on three counts of unlawful distribution of controlled substances, each count carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. However, the sentencing date has not been set yet, and it will be up to a federal district court judge to determine his sentence, considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other relevant statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Tamala Miles of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and Director David Rausch of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) jointly made the announcement of the conviction.