A South Haven doctor has been moved to the sidelines following a sweep of his office by drug agents. Dr. Matthew Small has been placed on administrative leave following a search of his office on S. Bailey Avenue in South Haven early yesterday. Small is part of the Bronson South Haven Family Medicine team at 965 S. Bailey Avenue where authorities executed a search warrant Thursday morning.
Agents from the Southwest Enforcement Team of detectives along with agents from the DEA, Michigan State Police Computer Crimes Unit and the IRS conducted the search, after which Bronson Healthcare said their unit “has been fully cooperating with this investigation since the arrival of law enforcement.” They added that Dr. Small had been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
Detective Lt. Timothy Blanksvard, Team Leader for the Southwest Enforcement Team says the initial investigation indicated that normal prescription practices, involving scheduled narcotics, were possibly not being followed. After a lengthy investigation, information was presented to a 7th District Court Judge and a search warrant for additional investigative material was issued. Documents, including some patient records, were seized to assist in the ongoing investigation. The seized documentation is currently under review by the DEA Drug Diversion Unit and Southwest Enforcement Team detectives.
Blanksvard says no criminal charges have been sought at this point, as this investigation still continues.
The Southwest Enforcement Team (SWET) is comprised of sworn law enforcement personnel from the Michigan State Police, Marshall Police Department, Barry County Sheriff’s Department, Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Department, Kalamazoo Township Police Department, South Haven Police Department, Covert Police Department and the Berrien County Sheriff Department.
SWET is funded in part by the Michigan HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) as well as the U.S. Department of Justice, Byrne JAG grant.
