Updated May 8, 2019

District Attorney Brent Cooper says his office was pursuing 5 reckless homicide charges against a former Columbia doctor when he gave the case to federal prosecutors as part of a massive national crackdown on opioids.

Dr. Darrel Rinehart, 63, who was previously affiliated with Maury Regional Medical Group, has been charged with 19 counts of prescribing controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose after at least four of his patients died from drug overdoses, according to a news release from the Department of Justice issued last month.

He pleaded not guilty to all federal charges during his first court appearance on April 22.

Because federal charges carry more time, Cooper said his office will not prosecute Rinehart.

The district attorney  said some aspects of the case were running close to the state’s statute of limitations.

Rinehart’s medical license has been suspended by the Tennessee Board of Medical of Examiners.