Indiana Suspends License Of Doctor Facing Drug-Dealing Charges

This article is by the Associated Press and WFYI News.

An Indiana doctor is facing several charges for aiding a patient's painkiller addiction in return for sex.

Indiana has suspended the medical license of Dr. Tristan Strong, a pain management doctor, now that he's facing five drug-dealing charges from state prosecutors for allegedly trading pills for sex with a patient.

The Indiana Medical Licensing Board approved an agreement Thursday between Stonger and the attorney general's office immediately suspending his license to practice over allegations of unsafe prescribing practices and inappropriate sexual relationships with patients.

CBS4Indy reports a patient of Stronger came forward, telling investigators she went along with the doctor's demands because she feared she’d lose access to her prescriptions:

The patient later recorded an appointment with Stonger. In that recording, Stonger can be heard making sexual comments to the woman, prosecutors said. An employee also filed a complaint saying Stonger had “special patients” who had longer appointments and received more prescription drugs.

According to WISH-TV, The probable cause affidavit indicates that over the course of a year and a half, Stonger wrote 46 controlled substance prescriptions for that patient.

The 68-year-old Stonger formerly operated out of clinics called Pain Management Centers of Indiana located in Bloomington, Indianapolis and Peru.

His attorney, Thomas Farlow, said Stonger is concerned about his patients and wants to get out of jail so he can work on moving his patients and their files to new doctors. Farlow has filed a motion seeking to have Farlow's bond reduced from $100,000 cash or $500,000 surety bond.

Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry is quoted by WISH-TV as saying it’s “particularly disturbing” that a medical professional would aid in a cycle of addiction.