A Florida Panhandle doctor has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for operating a “pill mill” (a center for the inappropriate or non-medical distribution of narcotics).
Dr. Robert L. Ignasiak, 58, was known as “Dr. Bob” in Freeport, Florida. For a period of several years, he worked as the only physician in town. Ignasiak was first convicted in November 2009 of improperly prescribing hydrocodone and other painkillers to patients.
On November 3, 2012, while awaiting a second trial, Ignasiak disappeared. Investigators found the doctor’s car near Seagrove Beach. Inside was a suicide note and what appeared to be blood. But police suspected that the suicide was staged, and they found Ignasiak alive and well in Coral Springs in September 2013.
A month later, Ignasiak pleaded guilty to the original charges, and on January 14, 2014, he was sentenced on 29 counts of illegal distribution of controlled substances and 12 counts of health care fraud.
The doctor ran his pill mill out of Freeport Medical Clinic from 2001 to 2005, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office, developing a reputation for freely prescribing narcotic painkillers.
Prosecutors said that even after he became aware that patients were abusing the drugs he had prescribed, he continued to do so, contributing to the deaths of several individuals.
If you have been injured, or if a family member has died because of improperly prescribed drugs, consult with an experienced pill mill attorney who can explain your options.
If you need to speak with a personal injury lawyer, Call Joyce & Reyes at 1.888.771.1529 or visit more of http://www.joyceandreyespa.com/.
