A Kentucky dentist who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for unlawfully prescribing opioids was recently granted a new trial.
Jay Sadrinia, DDS, was the owner of Northern Kentucky Dental Center in Crescent Springs, Ky. He prescribed opioids to his patients for routine dental procedures, despite being told that the prescriptions were dangerous, according to a news release from the Justice Department. In one case, he prescribed a patient medically unnecessary quantities of narcotics, including morphine. The patient fatally overdosed on the morphine seven days later.
Dr. Sadrinia was convicted of one count of unlawful distribution of controlled substances resulting in death and one count of unlawful distribution of controlled substances in June 2023.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled April 16 that there was sufficient evidence to support the conviction. However, it agreed with Dr. Sadrinia that testimony from previous employees was improperly admitted as intrinsic evidence. The appeals court vacated Dr. Sadrinia’s convictions and remanded the case for a new trial, according to court documents.
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