MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — Montgomery County Police arrested 48-year-old Dr. James Ryan, an oral surgeon, Tuesday morning outside of his practice on Observation Drive in Germantown in connection with the death of 25-year-old Sarah Harris.
Police responded to a report of a fatal overdose in the 13900 block of Godwit Street in Clarksburg on Jan. 26. Ryan provided Propofol, Ketamine, Diazepam and midazolam to Harris, according to police.
Harris is a former patient of Ryan and later became a surgical technician in October 2020. The two became romantically involved around January 2020, according to police.
Shortly after, Harris began to live with Ryan in the late summer of 2021 and family members of Harris started to notice that her physical appearance was changing over time, noting that she did not look healthy, according to police.
Police were able to obtain the text messages between Harris and Ryan and discovered that Harris was asking Ryan to provide drugs to her, and Ryan agreed, according to police.
The texts exchanged between the two offered information on how to administer the drugs and where they would be located inside their house. Ryan also provided drugs that he obtained from his office, which police believe not all the drugs were ever used for oral surgery practices.
“We would argue in this case that there are some drugs that we believe have no so-called medical use in the world of oral surgery,” said Montgomery County Police Chief Marcus Jones.
Police say, Ryan offered advice on how to make the drugs more potent and mentions bringing home medical instruments such as saline, fluids, needles, IV poles to what police say was to “aid in the administration of drugs or the recovery from the affects.”
Police say, that Harris had been found on two different occasions surrounded by empty medicine bottles which was parallel to what they had discovered at the death scene which they described to display “used syringes and bloody clothing.”
Harris had been discovered at one point in “an altered state,” according to police. She had arms covered in needle marks and bruises.
Police believe that Harris may have previously overdosed in December 2021. Harris required CPR to be resuscitated but police say investigators have not located a corresponding Montgomery Co. Rescue Service call for service.
Text messages revealed that Ryan had given Ketamine to Harris while she was asleep.
Ryan is currently pending presentation to the District Court Commissioner in Montgomery County, according to State’s Attorney John McCarthy.
A judge denied bond for Ryan during a bail review hearing Wednesday.
"Thank you Jesus for this victory," the mother of Harris told WUSA9 after the hearing.
Ryan is facing 10 charges. One of which is second-degree murder which can have a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. Collectively, all the charges criminally are a maximum penalty of 78 years of imprisonment, according to McCarthy.
Ryan is currently charged with these offenses:
- Second-degree murder
- Reckless endangerment
- 3 Control Dangerous Substance Possession with Intent to Distribute
- 3 Control Dangerous Substance Distribution
- 2 Control Dangerous Substance Administration Equipment Possession and Distribution