FORT SMITH — A Fort Smith doctor who police say used at least 19 aliases to fill prescriptions at more than 11 different pharmacies will be arraigned Wednesday on a charge of obtaining hydrocodone by fraud.
Joseph Charles Kradel, 42, an emergency room doctor at Johnson Regional Medical Center in Clarksville for12 years, was charged July 6 in Sebastian County Circuit Court with one felony count of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud. He was charged with the same offense in Crawford County Circuit Court on Friday.
He is also scheduled to be arraigned on the charge Wednesday in Crawford County Circuit Court.
Twelfth Judicial District Drug Task Force Officer PaulSmith said Kradel’s arraignment was delayed after his arrest to allow him to complete a drug rehabilitation program.
Larry Morse, administrator at Johnson Regional Medical Center, said Monday that Kradel was on voluntary leave.
Juli Carlson with the Arkansas State Medical Board said Monday that she couldn’tgive out information over the phone about Kradel’s medical license status. The board’s website shows that Kradel’s medical license is active.
Kradel was arrested May 4 on warrants obtained after an investigation by Smith into Kradel’s drug use from Jan. 1 to May 4.
During that time, according to Smith’s reports, Kradel made false prescriptions for hydrocodone and other drugs, some controlled, some not, in the names of relatives, friends and patients but always picked up and paid for the drugs himself.
Reports showed that he was filling the false prescriptions at pharmacies in Rogers, Fayetteville, Clarksville, Van Buren and Fort Smith.
All told, Kradel purchased 2,691 pills from Jan. 1 to May 4 and was taking up to 30 pills a day, according to Smith’s report.
Smith’s reports showed that prosecutors in Johnson, Benton and Washington counties deferred prosecution of Kradel.
Northwest Arkansas, Pages 7 on 07/27/2010