Tampa Bay Criminal Defense Lawyer - Worst pill mill in Pinellas?

By Nick Dorsten, Esq.

Hot on the heels of other stories about prescription pill abuse comes a story from the Times website about possibly the biggest pill mill in Pinellas...

PINELLAS PARK — Authorities on Thursday arrested a doctor they said was filling out the prescriptions in the largest, most flagrant pill mill in Pinellas County history.

After a nearly two-year investigation, the doctor was arrested on charges of racketeering, money laundering and conspiracy to traffic in oxycodone.

Authorities say the docotr was operating pill mills from her Dollar Medical Clinics at Park Blvd. in Pinellas Park and in Lehigh Acres in Lee County.

Discussing the investigation for the first time Thursday, Pinellas County sheriff's detectives painted a picture of abuse:

Over two years, the doctor, 41, deposited $1.3 million in cash in seven bank accounts and appeared to pay employees in cash. She scheduled five patients every 15 minutes, commonly seeing more than 60 patients a day, some by webcam. She presigned prescriptions. She had no other doctors, nurses or physician assistants, and many of her employees had criminal records.

"She was not practicing medicine per se," said a Pinellas sheriff's Captain of the narcotics division.

The doctor had previously talked to a Fort Myers television station about allegations that she was running a pill mill and said: "I've never been near any of these illegal activities. The only things I have are my practices, which are legit. I've been victimized by the war against drugs."

Authorities first raided her clinics in October. The Pinellas County Justice and Consumer Services Department cited her for operating a pain management clinic without a license.

In 33 patient records seized that day — a snapshot of her operation, deputies said — authorities found that patients got 106,929 opioid pills and 29,890 methadone pills. Oxycodone was the most commonly prescribed drug. Moreover, deputies said, every patient received prescription drugs.

Deputies cited numerous other issues that called into question her medical practices. Most patients interviewed by detectives said they had received an exam, but that the exam measured nothing more than flexibility, blood pressure and weight.

The doctor was booked into the County Jail. Bail was set at $1 million.

Have you or someone you loved been arrested for a prescription drug or a theft charge? Then contact the law offices of Blake & Dorsten, P.A. to speak with an experienced Pinellas criminal defense lawyer now!

Our office is located at 4707 140th ave. N, Suite 107, Clearwater, FL 33762, across from the criminal courthouse and minutes from Tampa and St. Petersburg. You can contact your St. Petersburg criminal defense attorney by phone at 727.286.6141 or online at info@BlakeDorstenLaw.com.