Oakland County doctor accused of sexually abusing addicted patients desperate for prescription pills

Dr. Rodney Moret faces prison time in federal lawsuit

OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – The Local 4 Defenders made a house call to an Oakland County doctor accused of sexually molesting addicted patients who were desperate for prescription pills.

Dr. Rodney Moret's alleged behavior cost him is license to practice medicine in Michigan and landed him on the sex offender registry. Now, a federal judge will decide how long Moret will spend in prison.

Moret was living and working in Oakland County until a federal investigation discovered he was flooding the community with addictive pills and fondling female patients who were desperate for more prescriptions.

When the Defenders made a house call to Moret, he said he didn't want to talk about his criminal behavior. Federal officials in court documents called him "truly repugnant," saying Moret's drug distribution scheme was obscene, considering his former employment as an addicting medicine physician.

Officials said Moret would have known, and likely saw firsthand, the damaging effects of drug addiction.

Despite his experience, Moret decided to get into the business of driving the opioid epidemic, officials said. He is accused of making money by prescribing unnecessary narcotics, but the lawsuit said that wasn't enough. Moret is accused of taking full advantage of his position by molesting women.

Former federal prosecutor Keith Corbett said sexually molesting addicted patients desperate for prescription pills will not sit well with the judge.

"When they misuse that license, when they misuse that position of trust, that's a factor," Corbett said. "That's going to be considered by a judge. You don't want doctors, lawyers abusing their position and taking advantage of people when they are most vulnerable."

"I want to apologize," Moret told the Defenders inside his apartment. "It was my fault. I never tried to hurt anybody, and now I lost everything, including my license to practice medicine. I have to pay the consequences for my actions. I never tried to hurt anybody."

Federal officials said a dispute over one of his drug prescriptions led to a murder in a drug deal gone bad.

Moret is accused of flooding Metro Detroit with more than 1 million addictive pills.

"The judge knows that when a doctor is overprescribing opiates, the opiates are not just going to a patient, they often go to the street," Local 4 legal expert Neil Rockind said.

One sexual assault victim turned Moret in to the Oak Park Police Department. Moret pleaded guilty and ended up on the sex-offender registry.

Federal officials said his medical practice resembled a drug house, where addicts drive up and exchange cash for pills in the parking lot. Officials said Moret made more than $3 million writing bogus drug prescriptions.

Moret is free on bail as he waits for his sentencing date.

Moret had friends write letters to the judge, asking him to be lenient. When prosecutors called those friends, they found out Moret didn't tell them he pleaded guilty to criminal sexual conduct charges. Now his friends are asking the judge to ignore their letters of support.

Moret will be sentenced in two weeks. His attorney is asking for no more than 20 months in prison. Federal prosecutors are asking for no less than 10 years behind bars.


About the Authors:

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.