United States Attorney James R. Dedrick
Eastern District of Tennessee
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
[CHATTANOOGA, TN]-On October 28, 2008, a federal grand jury in Chattanooga, Tennessee, indicted Elizabeth Reimers, M.D., of Winchester, Tennessee, on 130 counts of the illegal dispensing of controlled substances in violation of federal law. Dr. Reimers practiced as a general practitioner in Winchester, Tennessee, for the past six years. The Indictment cites numerous instances of prescribing narcotic drugs such as hydrocodone, percocet, oxycodone, and morphine “outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose.” Fourteen (14) of the counts allege that the illegal prescribing of the medication resulted in the deaths of three (3) patients.
If convicted, Dr. Reimers faces a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than 20 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison on these charges, along with a fine of up to several million dollars.
According to United States Attorney Dedrick, “Prosecution of drug diversion for illegal purposes by medical practitioners and pharmacists is a priority of my office.” Tennessee leads the nation in prescriptions per capita, with a rate 1.5 times the national average. Tennessee’s prescription drug overdose rate is 26 percent above the national average. According to Mr. Dedrick, federal, state, and local law enforcement in Tennessee has formed a “Drug Diversion Task Force” to address the growing problem of physicians and pharmacists dispensing controlled substances outside the bounds of professional practice.
The indictment of Dr. Reimers is the result of an investigation by the following agencies: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Winchester Police Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), Tennessee Department of Health, and Bureau of Health Licensure and Regulation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. MacCoon will represent the United States.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment constitutes only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
For additional information, please contact United States Attorney Russ Dedrick, 865-545-4167, Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. MacCoon, 423-752-5140, or Public Information Officer Sharry Dedman-Beard, 865-545-4167.