New Testimony Reveals Massive Extent of Tampa Pill Mill Operation says Tampa Attorney Robert Joyce
Apr 21, 2015
Tampa, FL (Law Firm Newswire) April 21, 2015 – The operators of a Tampa pill mill are now testifying against others involved in its operations, revealing the extent of what authorities have called the most active pill mill in the United States.
Marco Beltran, the former owner of the Tampa Bay Wellness Centre, was initially sentenced to 15 years in prison. Now, he may have his sentence reduced in exchange for his testimony at trials against others, which has drawn back the curtain on what has been called the “ground zero” of pill mills in the United States. Federal authorities said that in 2010, the VIP Pharmacy, which was affiliated with the Tampa Bay Wellness Centre, dispensed more oxycodone than any other retail pharmacy in the country.
“Learning the details of how these pill mills operated makes it even more clear that they were preying on vulnerable people, putting them at risk of serious injury and even death,” said Robert Joyce, a Tampa pharmaceutical negligence attorney with Joyce & Reyes.
Testimony revealed that VIP Pharmacy dispensed about 49 times more oxycodone than the average pharmacy. A single doctor worked late into the night, sometimes seeing as many as five patients at a time, who all paid in cash. Customers came from as far away as Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio, causing the clinic’s parking lots to overflow. The pharmacy was forced to leave several different locations as complaints from neighbors piled up. The clinic operators eventually purchased a building, where they remained until law enforcement officers closed them down in November 2010.
Owners and employees of the two clinics are now testifying against other participants in exchange for reduced sentences.
According to Joyce, doctors and pill mill owners may also be liable in civil lawsuits for pharmaceutical negligence, as inappropriate prescriptions and dispensation of drugs can cause harm to patients.
Learn more at http://www.joyceandreyespa.com
Joyce and Reyes Law Firm, P.A.
307 S Hyde Park Ave
Tampa, FL 33606
Call: 813.251.2007
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