Correction: Dr. Richard Johns is an internist in private practice in Little Rock. His place of employment was incorrectly stated in this article about his release on bond after being arrested on charges of fraudulent practice.
A doctor accused of prescribing nearly 17,000 oxycodone pills was released from jail Tuesday on $50,000 bond.
Dr. Richard Johns, an internist with Practice Management Services Inc. in Little Rock, was arrested Monday in Lonoke County and charged with 187 counts of fraudulent practice. The Class C felony carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count.
An investigation by the Lonoke County sheriff's office -- assisted by Central Arkansas Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI and the Arkansas State Police -- began six months ago after a Cabot man died from a drug overdose that authorities believe was linked to a prescription written by Johns.
Johns' attorney, Paul James of Little Rock, said Monday that they had been "in dialogue" with the U.S. attorney's office in Little Rock on "similar" matters, but the Lonoke County charges were a surprise.
Lonoke County Circuit Judge Ashley Parker ordered Johns on Tuesday not to possess or use alcohol or controlled substances, or have any contact with witnesses in the case. He is also prohibited from issuing any prescriptions.
Failure to comply will result in his bond being revoked.
Kevin O'Dwyer, the attorney for the Arkansas State Medical Board, said the organization on Monday opened an official investigation of Johns.
As of Tuesday, O'Dwyer said he has not received Johns' police files, so no action on his medical license has been taken. The medical board will "likely discuss the charges at the June meeting," O'Dwyer said.
Johns has previously been the subject of legal cases and Medical Board complaints.
Court records show that in a 2012 case, a patient filed a medical negligence complaint claiming that Johns did not inform him of 2010 test results that showed the possibility of bladder cancer. It wasn't until 2012, after the patient was under the care of another doctor, that he was diagnosed with bladder cancer and underwent extensive surgery and treatment. The patient dropped the case in 2014.
An Oct. 19, 2010, letter from the state Medical Board to Johns said the board found no evidence of a violation of the Arkansas Medical Practices Act after a patient complained to the Little Rock Police Department that Johns sexually assaulted her.
In 2009, court records show that registered nurse Rhonda Calaway filed a complaint alleging that Johns retaliated against her after she complained of repeated inappropriate comments he made while she worked for him. Johns filed a claim against Calaway with the state Board of Nursing, saying that she wrote prescriptions for herself under his name.
The state Medical Board said in a 2003 letter that no evidence of wrongdoing by Johns was found after registered nurse Tamara Fusilier complained to the board that Johns shared her medical records with her ex-husband during a custody case.
Johns is next scheduled to appear in Lonoke County court on July 20.
State Desk on 05/20/2015