Dr. William Hedrick And Nurse Practitioner Charged With Multiple Felony Counts
INDIANAPOLIS - ―The Drug Enforcement (DEA) and the Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office announced today felony charges against Dr. William Hedrick, the owner of the Indiana Pain Center in Muncie who also operated several affiliated offices in northeast Indiana, and Gay Gundersen-Watson, a nurse practitioner employed by Dr. Hedrick. The charges arise out of an intensive five-month investigation by the DEA, Muncie Police Drug Task Force, the Indiana Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office. A total of eight felony counts were filed against Dr. William Hedrick and six were filed against Nurse Practitioner Gay Gundersen-Watson.
Dr. William Hedrick was charged with three counts of the offense of Forgery in violation of I.C. § 35-43-5-2(d); three counts of Registration offenses in violation of I.C. § 35-48-4-14(b)(2)(C); one count of Medicaid Fraud in violation of I.C. § 35-43-5-7.1(a)(2) & (b)(1); and one count of the offense of Reckless Prescribing in violation of I.C. § 35-48-4-14(a)(1).
The Honorable Judge Linda Ralu Wolf of Delaware Circuit Court No. 3 found probable cause for the issuance of Hedrick’s arrest warrant and set bond at $40,000.00. Judge Wolf set a further condition that Hedrick not engage in any practice of medicine should he post bond.
Nurse (NP) Gay Gundersen-Watson was charged with three counts of the offense of Forgery in violation of I.C. § 35-43-5-2(d) and three counts of Registration offenses in violation of I.C. § 35-48-4-14(b)(2)(C).
The Honorable Judge Kimberly S. Dowling of Delaware Circuit Court No. 2 found probable cause for the issuance of Gundersen-Watson’s arrest warrant and set bond at $30,000.00. Judge Dowling set a further condition that Gundersen-Watson not engage in any practice of medicine should she post bond.
Dennis A. Wichern, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the DEA praised the dedication and teamwork of everyone involved in this investigation and especially the Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office. “Prescription drug abuse and addiction is a significant ongoing social struggle that scars families and causes over 20,000 deaths a year,” he added. Wichern vowed to continue his partnerships with all law enforcement agencies against medical practitioners who violate Indiana law.
“The prescription drug abuse epidemic is fueled by dangerous overprescribing of addictive opioid drugs by a few medical providers who violate the trust placed in them as physicians; and when the Indiana Medicaid program is wrongly billed for ineligible claims, as is alleged here, taxpayers become victims as well,” said Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller, whose office operates the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and who co-chairs the Indiana Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Task Force.
Copies of the Charging Informations and Affidavits for Probable Cause are available upon request. The Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office emphasized that the filing of the charges against the aforementioned individuals are merely allegations and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Dr. William Hedrick’s Indiana license to practice medicine has been under a 90-day summary suspension since October 31, 2014, and in light of the newly-filed criminal charges, to protect the public the Attorney General’s Office will request the Indiana Medical Licensing Board extend the suspension of Hedrick’s license to practice.
This is an ongoing investigation and if anyone has information concerning this matter, please contact the DEA at 317-226-7977.
Parents and children are encouraged to educate themselves about the dangers of drugs by visiting DEA’s interactive websites at www.JustThinkTwice.com, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com and www.dea.gov.For more information about the Indiana Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Task Force, visit www.BitterPill.in.gov.
