FORT SMITH, Ark. (KTHV) - A recently unsealed search warrant shows that federal agents with the DEA raided what they called a "pill mill" in Fort Smith. According to an affidavit, two doctors are suspected of prescribing high-dose opioids and benzos to nearly every patient.
The DEA began looking into the case after an unnamed doctor reported two doctors, Dr. Donald Hinderliter and Dr. Cecil Gaby, who both worked at Hinderliter Pain Clinic, before Gaby created his own Gaby Pain Clinic in July 2018.
The unnamed doctor told agents that he has several clients who came from the pain clinics and reported high-dose prescriptions, primarily of opioids and benzos, such as Xanax.
The unnamed doctor reported that he has several clients who were formerly treated by Gaby or Hinderliter and claim they were given high doses of drugs, some of which allegedly led to overdoses. The doctor said he was offered a job from Hinderliter, but refused because of 'unsafe practices.'
The unnamed doctor allegedly talked with a receptionist at the Hinderliter clinic, who admitted to doing jobs, such as lab technician, that she was not trained to do. She also allegedly told the unnamed doctor that three of Hinderliter's clients died from an overdose within six months.
According to the affidavit, though Gaby was a pediatrician, he drew adult patients from as far away as Pulaski and Garland counties, as well as Oklahoma. The visits were "cash only" for $125 a visit, as the unnamed doctor believes that the two were banned from Medicaid.
Dr. Gaby's medical license has been suspended. He could face federal drug-prescribing charged and permanent loss of his medical license. His hearing is scheduled for Feb. 7.
According to the affidavit, the information given by the unnamed doctor was cross-referenced by a review of records, interviews of patients and witnesses, surveillance and an analysis of records from the Arkansas Prescription Monitoring Program.