Indian American physician Dr. Sanjay Mehta, 57, of Shady Spring, West Virginia, has pleaded guilty to three counts of aiding and abetting the acquisition of controlled substances by fraud, after two of his patients died from opioid overdoses.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia, Mehta unlawfully prescribed opioids while working at HOPE Clinic (Hitech Opioid Pharmachovigilance Expertise), a supposed pain management center with locations in Beckley, Beaver, and Charleston, West Virginia, as well as Wytheville, Virginia.
Mehta Had No Proper Training in Pain Management
From November 2012 to May 2015, Mehta worked at the Beckley and Beaver branches of the HOPE Clinic. During this time, he issued prescriptions for powerful opioids such as oxycodone, methadone, and Roxicodone without any legitimate medical need.
Investigators revealed that Mehta lacked relevant experience and training in treating chronic pain or prescribing Schedule II narcotics. Despite this, he wrote prescriptions for at least three patients without sufficient medical evaluation. Tragically, two of those patients died from opioid intoxication just days after receiving their prescriptions.
Sentencing and Penalties
Dr. Mehta is scheduled to be sentenced on October 31, 2025. He faces:- Up to four years in prison
- Three years of supervised release
- A fine of up to $750,000
- As part of the plea agreement, Mehta also agreed to:
- Surrender his DEA Certificate of Registration
- Not oppose revocation of his authority to prescribe controlled substances
- Refrain from applying for re-registration in the future
Mehta was initially indicted in 2018 along with multiple individuals associated with HOPE Clinic and a management group called Patients, Physicians and Pharmacists Fighting Diversion (PPPFD). The indictment alleged that from 2010 to 2015, the group was involved in a wide-scale conspiracy to distribute Schedule II drugs, such as oxycodone, outside the boundaries of legitimate medical practice.
To date, Mehta and six other physicians associated with HOPE Clinic have entered guilty pleas in connection with this federal case.Authorities Vow to Combat the Opioid Crisis
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston, the Southern District of West Virginia has been deeply affected by the opioid epidemic. She emphasized the importance of holding healthcare professionals accountable, "this office is committed to bringing to justice those whose conduct worsens the opioid crisis and contributes to preventable patient deaths.”
The prosecution was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation—an initiative that targets the most serious drug trafficking organizations and individuals that pose a threat to communities in the United States.
This case is a sobering reminder of how the misuse of medical authority and failure to follow ethical standards in prescribing can directly contribute to the opioid epidemic and endanger lives.
