SOUTH WHITLEY – A South Whitley physician was arrested on six felony counts, according to a news release from the Whitley County Prosecutor’s Office.
Police allege Dr. James Hanus, 67, dealt “substantial sums of controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose” between August 2012 and October 2016.
Hanus, who has a family practice in South Whitley, is charged with four counts of dealing a schedule II controlled substance and two counts of dealing a controlled substance by a practitioner.
Hanus surrendered to police and was booked in to the Whitley County Jail Wednesday. He posted a $100,000 cash bond and was released.
The release says the arrest was the culmination of 2-1/2 years of work by police.
The Whitley County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana State Police, Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Unit and the Drug Enforcement Agency participated in surveillance and undercover operations.
In October, police searched Hanus’ home and office, and Hanus turned over his license to prescribe medications.
“This is a tremendous example of teamwork across our local, state and federal governments. Given that prescription drugs are flooding our communities and turning generations of families into addicts, every effort must be made to ensure that our medical caregivers are operating within the bounds of law,” said D.j Sigler, Whitley County prosecutor, in the release.
Hanus is scheduled for an initial hearing at 10 a.m. Monday in the Whitley County courthouse.
