Encino Doctor Charged With Unlawfully Prescribing Narcotics
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — An Encino doctor has been arrested on charges of prescribing narcotics without a legitimate medical need.
District Attorney Jackie Lacey announced Thursday that charges have been filed against Dr. Yahya Hedvat, who runs an Encino medical clinic called Urgent Care.
The 68-year-old physician was arrested Thursday on a warrant charging him with eight felony counts of unlawfully prescribing a controlled substance, including hydrocodone, suboxone and clonazepam.
Deputy District Attorneys John Niedermann and Emily Street with the Major Narcotics Division
are prosecuting the case.
Hedvat, who specializes in internal medicine, allegedly prescribed various narcotic drugs to undercover agents with the California Medical Board without performing proper examinations or prescribing the drugs for a legitimate medical purpose, Niedermann said.
The complaint alleges Hedvat wrote unlawful prescriptions to clients in August 2012 and to undercover agents beginning in February.
Prosecutors will ask that his bail be set at $80,000.
Hedvat is expected to be arraigned Friday.
If convicted as charged, he faces up to seven years, eight months in county jail.
