Columbia doctor indicted on 38 federal fraud counts could hear bond decision by Wednesday

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A bond hearing was held Monday afternoon in St. Louis for a Columbia doctor accused of sexual misconduct.

Dr. Jonathan Morris, owner of Columbia Urgent Care on North Providence Road, has been charged in federal court with 15 counts of illegally prescribing drugs and 23 counts of healthcare fraud.

Morris, 46, was indicted on April 8 and arrested on Wednesday, according to the Department of Justice. He is being held at the Crawford County Jail without bond.

The judge took the defense’s arguments under advisement and could make a decision on Morris’ bond as early as Wednesday, according to court filings and a spokesperson for the Eastern District court.

Federal prosecutors allege that Morris fraudulently billed Medicare and Medicaid by submitting claims for services as though he had personally provided them, when in fact they were done by assistant physicians at his clinic.

APs are medical school students who have not yet entered residency programs, according to a Wednesday press release from the DOJ.

The release and bond memo also accuses Morris of giving prescription drugs to friends and “people suffering from substance use disorders and those with whom he had sexual relationships.”

Roughly 20 people are believed to have received prescriptions totaling more than 15,000 doses of controlled medications, investigators say.

Further, Morris “failed to properly train his APs, essentially rendering the clinic a free-for-all when it comes to issuing prescriptions for controlled substances,” a bond memo says.

Court documents also reference text messages in which Morris allegedly offered drugs in exchange for sexual favors, along with several accusations of sexual assault.

Some of the sexual assault allegations surfaced last fall in a Boone County discrimination case. A former employee sued Columbia Urgent Care in October 2025, alleging discrimination, harassment and unpaid wages.

The woman — whose name is withheld in court records — claimed CUC LLC and Morris violated the Missouri Human Rights Act. She brought forth claims of unwanted sex, sexual harassment, and accused the defendants of fostering a hostile work environment and retaliating against her during her employment.

Monday’s bond hearing for Morris’ indictment on 38 fraud counts is set for 1 p.m. at the St. Louis federal courthouse.