Tom Reach, MD

Dr. ReaRalph Thomas Reach, MD, 63, family practice physician and former owner of Watauga Recovery Centers consisting of twelve facilities in four states with 40 providers, over 100 employees and 2500 patients, was sentenced to 6 months in prison followed by 18 months of home detention.  Our first post about the attack on him was back in 2018 and can be seen HERE.

Dr. Reach pleaded guilty in March 2023 to three counts of causing drugs to be misbranded while held for sale after shipment in interstate commerce by inducing various quantities of prescription drugs Subutex (Schedule III), Suboxone (Schedule III), clonazepam (Schedule IV controlled substance) and gabapentin to be dispensed without valid prescriptions by the actions of health care providers at Watauga Recovery Centers.  Here is the actual plea agreement:

Click to access Plea-agreement-Mar-2023.pdf

So now what does that mean?  The law they finally used against him that he accepted as a plea was

21 U. S. C. § 331(k) The alteration, mutilation, destruction, obliteration, or removal of the whole or any part of the labeling of, or the doing of any other act with respect to, a food, drug, device, tobacco product, or cosmetic, if such act is done while such article is held for sale (whether or not the first sale) after shipment in interstate commerce and results in such article being adulterated or misbranded.

333(a)(1): Any person who violates a provision of section 331 of this title shall be imprisoned for not more than one year or fined not more than $1,000, or both.

353(b)(1): (b)Prescription by physician; exemption from labeling and prescription requirements; misbranded drugs; compliance with narcotic and marihuana laws

(1)A drug intended for use by man which—

(A) because of its toxicity or other potentiality for harmful effect, or the method of its use, or the collateral measures necessary to its use, is not safe for use except under the supervision of a practitioner licensed by law to administer such drug; or

(B) is limited by an approved application under section 355 of this title to use under the professional supervision of a practitioner licensed by law to administer such drug;

shall be dispensed only (i) upon a written prescription of a practitioner licensed by law to administer such drug, or (ii) upon an oral prescription of such practitioner which is reduced promptly to writing and filed by the pharmacist, or (iii) by refilling any such written or oral prescription if such refilling is authorized by the prescriber either in the original prescription or by oral order which is reduced promptly to writing and filed by the pharmacist. The act of dispensing a drug contrary to the provisions of this paragraph shall be deemed to be an act which results in the drug being misbranded while held for sale.

What does this have to do with United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh statement following the plea stating “When doctors add to this mounting problem (the opioid crisis) by overprescribing these powerful drugs, they must be held accountable, and we will continue to do exactly that.” “Now, corrupt health care providers are manipulating the sale of drugs designed for opioids abuse recovery.”

According to the press release, the government purports that Dr. Reach and other medical providers wrote prescriptions for buprenorphine (including Suboxone and Subutex), clonazepam, gabapentin, and other drugs that were not valid because they were dispensed without a legitimate medical purpose and beyond the bounds of professional practice.

Now that is using the context of the Controlled Substance Act.  But his plea did not include any reference to the CSA.  So, there is no racketeering involvement or forfeiture of his assets.  So what did the government gain from this 5 year attack on Dr. Reach?  A mere $150,000 in fines and forfeitures.  But of course, salaries and job security for the government agents for 5 years.  My guess is they have someone else in the Western District of Virginia now pegged for the next attack.

Now obviously the original attack on Dr. Reach was intended to involve the CSA. Other employees and associates had previously taken pleas and received sentences.  This included:

1. Matthew Sykes FNP who took a plea in 2018 and got a 5 year sentence. Due to be released 6/15/23.
2. Michael Dube, owner of screening laboratory, took a plea in 2020 and got a 3 year sentence. He was released 10/18/22.

Other employees and associates that took pleas based on labs for prescribing controlled substances were:

1. John Paul Linke (former Watauga Recovery Centers employee);
2. Regan Dube (registered agent of screening laboratory used by Watauga Recovery Centers);
3. Michael Olshavsky (sales representative of a Florida confirmation laboratory used by Watauga Recovery Centers); and
4. Rakesh Kothuru (owner of a Las Vegas confirmation laboratory).

Over $9.9 million dollars in fines, forfeitures and restitution were ordered as a result of these convictions. So I guess the government felt it had made enough off of this case, and were ready to move on to the next.

I did not learn of Dr. Reach’s plea until the sentencing was publicized, even though we are connected by multiple methods. He had shared his story with me a long time back, but he didn’t want to publish it as long as he was under attack.  It is located HERE.  When you see the credentials, the political and medical associations he has held over the last 10 years, it should amaze you how the government chose him to attack.  Obviously, it is for the money and elimination of the expendable patients he served. Nothing today is going to stop these attacks. 

To end these attacks, restore pain management, and provide compensation to all the families that have been destroyed by government overreach, we must get the Controlled Substance Act repealed.  Join Doctorsofcourage to get that done. Learn what we teach and spread the word.  NO DRUG CAUSES ADDICTION!! Let’s end the War on Drugs, Doctors and Pain Patients, end the black market, solve the southern border crisis, and restore proper pain management.  It CAN be done! 

Addendum:

I have failed in my mission to end these attacks on doctors and pain patients. Through John Bevere’s book The Bait of Satan, I have figured out why—my lack of forgiveness to those who attacked me. As in Mark 11: 24-26:

Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespassed. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.

And when you do not do the will of the Father, you are estranged from him and he will ignore you.  So we all must forgive the agents who attacked us in order for things to be made right through any of our works.

Jesus said

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

But we cannot lay down our lives for God unless we know Him well enough to trust Him. We must have the assurance that He would never do anything to harm us. He always looks out for what He knows is in our best interest. As a nation, those of us suffering from these attacks must understand that we are serving as God’s messengers of love.  We must forgive those who persecute us and love them instead, following God’s will for us. Then and only then will we see fruits from our labor.

So I hope that everyone who has suffered from what happened to Dr. Reach can trust the Lord, forgive those who have hurt you, and help bring this country back to the God-fearing country that our forefathers founded. Then, and only then, can you be a part of the effort to stop these attacks. I look forward to that day.