Law enforcement officials searched the office of an Oneida doctor on Tuesday as part of an investigation into overdose deaths involving opioids, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency.

Troopers from the Tennessee Highway Patrol, agents from the DEA, and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agents searched Coffey Family Medical Clinic, the office of Dr. David Coffey, on Underpass Drive in Oneida.

DEA Resident Agent in Charge Frank Hicks says it was part of an 18 month long investigation involving them, the TBI and the Internal Revenue Service. The investigation involves the clinic, pharmacy and Coffey Family Medical practice.

Hicks said Tuesday’s operation was a records check and once it is investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, they will decide whether to file any indictments.

The attorney’s office couldn’t immediately provide any further details. 

Patient Judy Kidd says she comes there frequently for pain medication, which she says she needs for arthritis and a stroke she had in January.

“He writes me prescriptions to give me oxycodone for my pain and my arthritis in my back and he’s really friendly, he likes seeing me,” Kidd said.

Junior Evans looks at the parking lot of TBI agents, Tennessee state troopers, and members of the Drug Enforcement Administration as a good thing.

“Look at all the traffic. I mean a normal profession, doctor’s office, ain’t going to have this parking lot plum full of vehicles, and you go down behind the other building and there’s another full parking lot. And you’ve got 27 vehicles sitting in a parking lot and you tell me the guy’s a professional doctor, that he ain’t doing something illegal?” he said.

In January 2017, Coffey was fined $500 by the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners for buying Botox for personal use. According to meeting minutes, Coffey told a nurse to order Botox from the “cheapest source she could fine.” Coffey was unaware of whether the purchased Botox was FDA-approved and of its source.