A former Martinsville doctor, Joel Smithers, has been convicted on 467 federal charges of drug distribution following a three-week jury trial in U.S. District Court in Abingdon. The verdict was announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia.
Smithers, 42, was found guilty on one count of maintaining a facility for the illegal distribution of controlled substances and 466 counts of unlawfully prescribing Schedule II controlled substances.
The jury reached its decision after 16 hours of deliberation, marking a significant step in addressing the opioid epidemic in Southwest Virginia.
Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee condemned Smithers’ actions, emphasizing the trust patients place in their physicians.
“For many years, this defendant betrayed the trust placed in him by his patients, his community, and the medical profession as a whole through his illegal distribution of thousands of medically unnecessary opioids,” Lee said. “I am grateful to the entire prosecution team for bringing this case to justice.”
Shane Todd, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA, highlighted the devastating consequences of Smithers’ fraudulent practices.
“Today’s conviction demonstrates Smithers’s criminal indifference to the lives of others, and to the families who loved them,” Todd stated. “His reckless and fraudulent practices placed profits over the lives of his patients.”
Evidence presented at trial revealed that Smithers opened a practice in Martinsville in August 2015, prescribing controlled substances to every patient he treated. Over 500,000 Schedule II controlled substances were distributed during his operation, earning the practice the label of a "pill mill."
Smithers’ original conviction in 2019 was overturned following a U.S. Supreme Court decision altering legal standards related to jury instructions in cases involving illegal drug distribution by healthcare providers. A retrial was ordered, leading to last week’s verdict.
Attorney General Jason Miyares underscored the gravity of Smithers’ actions, noting the broader implications for the region.
“The existence of these ‘pill mills’ flooding Southwest Virginia with controlled substances violates one of the first principles of the Hippocratic Oath: to do no harm,” Miyares said.
Smithers faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment and a $1,000,000 fine for each distribution count, as well as up to 20 years and a $500,000 fine for maintaining a facility for illegal drug distribution.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 3, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. in Abingdon.
Authorities stressed the importance of vigilance in preventing the misuse of prescription medications and reaffirmed their commitment to holding healthcare providers accountable for violating medical and legal standards.
This case serves as a sobering reminder of the devastating impact of the opioid crisis and the critical role of law enforcement and the justice system in protecting communities from exploitation and harm.