CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — A Clayton County psychiatrist is behind bars, accused of running a pill mill. Authorities say dozens of patients died.
Only Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne was there as nearly 40 federal and local agents raided the offices of Dr. Narendra Nagareddy.
They later moved on to his home to seize more assets.
“He’s a psychiatrist in Jonesboro who has been overprescribing opiates and benzodiazepine and the last several years has had a multitude of overdoses and overdose deaths,” Clayton County Police Chief Mike Register told Winne.
Agents with the DEA, the Clayton County DA’s office, the Clayton County Police Department and the Georgia Department of Community Supervision converged on Nagareddy’s office armed with a search warrant and an arrest warrant for the psychiatrist Thursday morning.
“He’s charged with prescribing pain medication which is outside his profession as a psychiatrist and not for a legitimate purpose for the patient,” said Clayton County District Attorney Tracy Graham Lawson.
According to legal documents, “36 of Nagareddy’s patients have died while being prescribed controlled substances from Dr. Nagareddy, 12 of which have been confirmed by investigators through autopsy reports to have been the result of prescription drug intoxication.”
“Former and current patients have admitted to obtaining controlled substance prescriptions from Dr. Nagareddy without having a legitimate medical need,” the documents said.
Winne was there as agents took Nagareddy into custody at his home.
“Did you prescribe more than you were supposed to?” Winne asked him.
Nagareddy had no answer.
“People come to this person for help, and instead of getting help, they’re met with deadly consequences,” Register told Winne. “If the allegations are true, he is Dr. Death, no doubt about it.”
The district attorney’s office said they also filed a RICO civil action to seize Nagareddy’s assets.
“Americans are abusing prescription drugs at a truly alarming level,” said Clyde E. Shelley Jr. with the DEA. “Doctors hold a position of public trust and to betray that position cannot be tolerated.”
A sign has now been posted on the door to Nagareddy’s office that says if you need assistance with prescription drug addiction to call the Georgia Crisis Access Line at 1-800-715-4225.
If you have believe there is a pill mill operating you can call the anonymous pill tip line at 404-893-7324.
