Northern Kentucky dentist sentenced to 20 years in patient's overdose death
A Crescent Springs dentist who was accused of illegally prescribing opioids and found guilty in the overdose death of a patient has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Dr. Jay Sadrinia was found guilty last year of federal charges including distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death. He was sentenced Friday in federal court in Covington, court records say.
Prosecutors said that prescribing opioids was one of several ways Sadrinia, 61, would try to attract patients.
There was testimony at his trial that Sadrinia encouraged patients to write positive Google reviews while also offering them medically unnecessary opioids, court documents say.
It was also common for Sadrinia, prosecutors said, to prescribe opioids to patients without having performed any dental work at all.
“This was an ongoing practice that Sadrinia had of prescribing opioids to his patients in order to ensure his own profits,” prosecutors said in a sentencing memorandum.
Patient dies from overdose
The patient who died, a 24-year-old woman, first visited Sadrinia’s office in July 2020. They discussed two procedures he would perform, including a dental implant. Court documents say Sadrinia prescribed her at least 30 oxycodone pills before the surgery.
After the surgery, according to the documents, Sadrinia prescribed even more oxycodone pills, then a few days after that, he prescribed morphine pills at the highest dosage.
On Aug. 28, 2020, Sadrinia saw the woman for the last time, and prosecutors say, allegedly showed concern that she might have a drug history. Despite that concern, a witness testified, Sadrinia wrote another prescription for morphine.
The woman died that night, court documents say.
'A dentist, not a drug dealer'
Sadrinia’s attorneys said in their own sentencing memorandum that over three decades he treated thousands of patients and was well liked by former patients as well as other dentists with whom he worked.
In a statement, his attorney, Ben Glassman, said Sadrinia intends to appeal.
“Jay Sadrinia is a dentist, not a drug dealer,” Glassman said. “While he grieves for the loss of his patient, she was in fact his patient, and he was treating her following a significant oral surgery.”
Glassman added that the 20-year sentence was the mandatory minimum under the law for the conviction.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Dr. Jay Sadrinia sentenced to 20 years in patient's overdose death
