Las Vegas-area doctors indicted in opioid bust

Thu, Jun 20, 2019 (7:15 p.m.)

Las Vegas medical professionals were named Thursday in an indictment that accuses them of possessing opioids with the intent of distributing them, according to the office of the U.S. attorney for the district of Nevada.

The suspects are doctors Chad Hall, 39, and Ronald Smith, 50, Michael Halprin — a 68-year-old unlicensed nurse practitioner — Janell Olson, 49, and Eghomware Igbinovia, 44, who is also known as Jerry, officials said. 

They allegedly trafficked with buprenorphine, an opioid intended to help reduce the use of the drug, but that when used inappropriately can pose deadly consequences, officials said. Each of them face at least one charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and with distributing buprenorphine. 

Halprin, Hall, Olson and Smith face additional charges, including distribution of Valium, obtaining a controlled substance by misrepresentation and maintaining drug-involved premises, officials said. 

Smith and Igbinovia were apprehended in Las Vegas, and Halprin and Olson were arrested Thursday in Melbourne, Florida, officials said. Hall will is slated to appear in front of a judge in Reno on Friday. 

The FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and the Nevada State Board of Pharmacy investigated the case.

“The U.S. Attorney's Office will target and prosecute doctors who illegally dispenses addictive opioids, thus placing personal greed above the health and safety of his or her patients,” said U.S. Attorney Trutanich in a news release. “Working in lockstep with our law enforcement partners, we will work diligently to reduce, and then stamp out, the opioid crisis.”

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