THOMASVILLE — A pharmacist at a Boston pharmacy is charged with trafficking a prescription drug.

James Kevin Murphy, 31, 936 Gordon Gordon Ave., Thomasville, is being held in the Thomas County Jail. Bond was denied.

Murphy, who is charged with trafficking hydrocodone, an opiate pain killer, was booked into the jail at 9:30 a.m. Saturday in an investigation that began Friday.

Thomas County Sheriff Carlton Powell said state and federal agencies were asked to enter the investigation. Representatives of the agencies began the Boston investigation during the weekend.

Powell would not comment further, other than to say the investigation is ongoing.

Murphy is being investigated in connection with allegedly providing prescription drugs without prescriptions, said Mark Pro, assistant special agent in charge of the Sylvester regional office of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Agents from the Sylvester GBI office are assigned to drug cases.

Pro said Murphy is believed to have provided various prescription drugs in the absence of prescriptions.

“It’s an active and ongoing case,” Pro explained. “There are a lot of people who can be involved.”

Powell and Pro said the case is expected to require a lengthy investigation.

“It’s a brand-new case,” Pro told the Times-Enterprise Monday. “We’ve just gotten into it. The agents are just getting information.”

Boston Pharmacy, where Murphy worked, was closed by law enforcement Friday and remained closed Monday. A sign on the door said the business would be closed until further notice. Yellow crime-scene tape encircled a white SUV parked in front of the 118 N. Main St. store in downtown Boston Monday morning.

Lawmen executed search warrants at the business during the weekend.

Neither Boston police Chief Chuck Weaver nor Boston Mayor Danny Groover returned telephone calls Monday.

Sue McKinney, spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office at Macon, said she could neither confirm nor deny whether her office is involved in the probe. “No comment,” McKinney said.