Dr. McIver Gets 30 Years
August 2005 -
An Upstate doctor has been sentenced to 30 years in prison
after he was convicted in April of providing high doses of painkillers to
patients, U.S. Attorney Johnny Gasser said Friday.
Ronald A. McIver, 61 operated a pain therapy clinic in Greenwood from 2001
until April 2004. McIver, an osteopathic doctor, prescribed painkillers such
as oxycodone and methadone to addicts and abusers.
An expert for the prosecution who had reviewed McIver's medical files
testified that the doctor was prescribing drugs for illegitimate purposes.
Several witnesses also testified they traveled to Greenwood from other
cities to get prescriptions for oxycodone, hydromorphone and methadone.
Testimony also found that one of McIver's patients died in May 2003 from
respiratory depression due to an overdose of oxycodone, Gasser said in a
release
Greenwood Osteopath Found Guilty On Drug Charges
April 20, 2005 SPARTANBURG - A Greenwood County osteopath could spend the rest of his life in prison after being found guilty on drug charges Tuesday.
Ronald A. McIver 61, of Hodges, was found guilty on eight charges of distributing and dispensing Schedule II controlled substances and one charge of conspiracy to dispense and distribute Schedule II controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney's office said that McIver operated a pain therapy clinic in Greenwood from 2001 until April 2004.
In a news release, acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan Gasser said several witnesses testified that as drug addicts and drug abusers, they had heard of McIver's clinic in the Columbia and Lancaster areas and had traveled to Greenwood to see McIver and received prescriptions for schedule II controlled substances such as oxycodone, hydromorphone, and methadone.
Gasser said that testimony also revealed that in May 2003, one of McIver's patients died from respiratory depression due to an overdose of oxycodone.
Gasser said that because the jury made a special finding that a person had died as a result of a drug distributed by McIver, the penalty he can receive is a fine of $1,000,000 and/or imprisonment for a minimum of twenty years up to a maximum of life in prison.
Judge Henry F. Floyd said he will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report.