Doctor charged with distributing drugs for sex

Physician Naga Raja Thota, who specializes in pain treatment, was arrested yesterday (August 31) and charged with distributing oxycodone and other addictive drugs in exchange for sex acts. He was taken into custody by San Diego agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

In federal court, United States Magistrate judge Bernard Skomal set bail at $100,000, secured by real property. The judge also set limits on Thota's ability to prescribe medication. Thota's partner must approve all prescriptions for Schedule 2 drugs written by Thota to female patients. Thota is not permitted to contact any of the people mentioned in the government's complaint.

According to the complaint, at least two young women received prescriptions for opioids on numerous occasions in exchange for sex acts. Following the exchange of sexually explicit messages, the doctor would allegedly write prescriptions for the drug.

One 20-year-old female said that if she would not engage in sex acts with the doctor, she felt she would not get the drugs. She said that Thota kept increasing dosages and she started using heroin.