latimes.com on January 04, 2012 reported that a Santa Barbara doctor linked by authorities to a dozen drug-related deaths in recent years has been arrested by DEA agents on federal drug trafficking charges. The arrest of Dr. Julio Diaz comes amid a nationwide surge in prescription drug overdose deaths drawing newfound attention from law enforcement and public health officials. Diaz, 63, has been under investigation for years for allegedly prescribing addictive painkillers and other commonly abused drugs to patients who had no legitimate need for the medications.

The original article can be found at latimes.com.