Two Georgia doctors indicted for trafficking drugs in Cherokee County, NC

Murphy, NC (WDEF) – 59-year-old James Lanier Heaton and 58-year-old John Michael Gowder both of Blairsville Georgia were indicted this week by the Cherokee County Grand Jury.

During a joint investigation being conducted in North Georgia into individuals who were committing drug fraud it became apparent that both Heaton and Gowder, doctors with a practice in North Georgia were operating their fraudulent drug activities in Cherokee County North Carolina.

Information from that investigation was collected and submitted to the Grand Jury who issued true bills of indictment for 5 counts of trafficking in Opium or Heroin and 5cts of Obtaining a Controlled Substance by forgery against both Heaton and Gowder.

Both Heaton and Growder were arrested on the charges and the North Carolina Magistrate set a each a $500,000.00 secure bond and a April 04th, 2016 Superior Court date on them. Growder posted the secure bonds and Heaton remains in custody at the time of this release.