After his patient-turned-girlfriend died from an overdose at his home, an oral surgeon named James Ryan was arrested and charged with her murder.
James Ryan is accused of supplying his patient-turned-girlfriend with addictive anesthetic drugs, including ketamine, via an IV.
On Wednesday, James Ryan’s attorneys attempted to have him placed under house arrest, but a judge denied their request. The defense told the judge that James was not a flight risk and that this was a thin murder case.
However, Montgomery County District Court Judge Patrick Mays expressed his concerns about public safety in issuing the no-bond ruling.
Who Is James Ryan? Germantown Dentist Arrested Over Murder Case & Jail Sentence
James Ryan, 48, was apprehended by Montgomery County police at his Germantown, Maryland, practice and was being held in jail without bond Tuesday, cops said, following the January death of Sarah Harris, 25, a former patient and employee of his.
Ryan was charged with second-degree ‘depraved-heart’ murder, as well as six felony counts of drug possession with intent to distribute and one count of reckless endangerment.
If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 78 years in prison, according to cops.
According to police, Harris, who had been living with the doctor at his Clarksburg home for seven months prior to her death, became addicted as Ryan steadily supplied her with an array of powerful prescription drugs, both intravenously and through injections.
Cops also accuse the dentist of injecting drugs into Harris, an aspiring model who competed in the Ms. Maryland Petite competition last March, while she slept, according to court documents.
According to police, after Harris’ fatal overdose, her older sister, Rachel, was able to access her phone and social media accounts and discovered the incriminating text messages between her and Ryan.
James Ryan Wikipedia
James Ryan is a seasoned principal owner with a track record of success in the hospital and health care industries.
He is an experienced business development professional with expertise in healthcare, pediatrics, medicine, DNA extraction, and dentistry.
According to narcotics detectives, the doctor gave Harris ketamine, a type of anesthetic, intravenously on a regular basis. Following her death on January 26, high levels of the drug were discovered in her system.
According to police, the doctor obtained the drugs illegally from his practice.
According to police, Ryan is not accused of premeditation, but rather of ‘extreme indifference to her life by providing her with drugs he knew were dangerous – hence the depraved-heart charge.
Where is James Ryan Now?
James Ryan, 48, was arrested by Montgomery County police at his Germantown, Maryland, practice on Tuesday and is being held in jail without bond.
The drugs, as well as medical equipment such as IV stands, needles, and IV bags, were obtained illegally from the doctor’s practice.
Harris’ spiraling addiction is revealed in text messages between the two.
Harris died on January 26 from an overdose of ketamine and the sedative Diazepam. According to police, Ryan supplied her with both drugs.
Officers said the doctor’s actions, including setting up a home delivery system for Harris before they moved in together, amounted to “an open supply” of drugs.
‘Sarah Harris developed an ever-worsening addiction that Ryan continuously fed over the months,’ the cops wrote.
According to law enforcement, Ryan and the victim began dating in early 2021 after she visited his office to have her wisdom teeth extracted.