“God is testing me”, said Dr. Robert Ladd as he was released from the Macon County Jail last Tuesday after posting a $25,000 bond.

The doctor, who has offices in the Westside and Red Boiling Springs areas of Macon County, was arrested at his Sumner County office Tuesday afternoon, February 7 by Jesse I. Richardson with the State of Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration TennCare Office of Inspector General and charged with TennCare fraud. The arrest came following a lengthy investigation.

Dr. Robert Ladd, 67, who was already in trouble for allegedly molesting patients is now being accused of trading drugs for sex.

Detectives said a hidden camera video showed Ladd giving powerful painkillers to TennCare patients in exchange for sexual favors.

Ladd said he did not know he was wanted by authorities.

“I think that I’ve been kind to be willing to take TennCare patients when so many of the other doctors will not,” he said.

Investigations into Ladd’s medical practices date back to... ...March of 1989 when his license was suspended for six months for a “pattern of ignorance, negligence or incompetence in the course of medical practice,” according to Tennessee Department of Health electronic records.

That same year he was on trial for rape, sexual battery, and unlawful sexual conduct with patients at his Portland office. He was found not guilty of all charges.

His license was reinstated in August of 1989 after he attended classes on the prescribing and dispensing of controlled substances.

Dr. Ladd appeared before the Tennessee Board of Osteopathic Examiner in 2005 to answer charges that he allegedly prescribed large amounts of narcotic pain medication, sleep aids, and muscle relaxers. Records from the State of Tennessee Department of Health were used as evidence against Dr. Ladd.

“From July 25, 2001 through February 12, 2003, a total of 565 days, Respondent [Ladd] prescribed for a patient approximately 1,235 Oxycontin, 120 Mscontin, 145 vicodin/lortab and 1,125 diazepam/valium,” records stated.

Ladd also faced allegations that he traded prescription drugs for sexual favors. A patient, who was a paid informant, told police she could get Dr. Robert Ladd to write a prescription for anything she wanted and that he would act inappropriately with her.

An undercover video released last year by Portland police shows what investigators say is a female informant being touched inappropriately by the doctor. The video shows Ladd performing unethical actions such as touching, embracing and kissing the female at his Portland office.

The current charges include aiding and abetting three patients who were using TennCare fraudulently. A number of his patients were on TennCare.

Ladd will appear in Criminal Court in Macon County on February 16 in front of Judge J.O. Bond.

If convicted, Ladd could face up to 2 to 5 years in prison for each for each count.