Former state rep targeted

Opioid Recovery Center/Lansing Pain Management Institute, operated by DeWeese, a former Republican state legislator from the Lansing area, was the target of the investigation, reported MIRS, a subscription-only newsletter covering the state Capitol. DeWeese and his office have not returned multiple phone calls seeking comment.

The office is located near Frandor and US 127 in Lansing Township. Antonio Manning, a special adviser to DeWeese, told MIRS the medical group provides medical treatment for heroin addiction.

An agent for the FBI confirmed to MIRS the raid had taken place but would not comment on the reason for the investigation. MIRS noteed the medical clinic opened in 2013 after an earlier medical group run by DeWeese, which offered neuropathy as a treatment option, shut down. That medical enterprise, the news outlet reported, closed because Medicaid declined to reimburse for the procedures.

Heroin is a growing problem in the greater Lansing area as well as across the state and nation. The Lansing State Journal reported in May that Eaton and Ingham counties have had 99 heroin overdose deaths since 2010, according to the Ingham County medical examiner. That includes 40 in the past 17 months.

Earlier this month, Gov. Rick Snyder announced Lt. Gov. Brian Calley would chair a special task force on prescription and opioid use in the state.

“Prescription drug and opioid addiction has quadrupled the number of unintentional drug deaths in our state since 1999 and we must come together to reverse this trend before more Michiganders are hurt,” Calley said in a press statement.