A jury convicted a Florida man of 11 felony charges for running a pain clinic that prosecutors called a “pill mill.”
Richard McMillan refused a plea deal of 10 years in prison. He took the stand in his own defense, arguing that his network of pain clinics was a legitimate business. After nine hours of deliberation, the jury convicted him on all counts.
McMillan ran a chain of clinics called Total Medical Express with his business partner Pasquale Gervasio before a statewide drug task force raided the clinics in 2011. Officials from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration said that the clinics, which operated in several locations in Florida, are estimated to have generated almost $13.5 million, by issuing prescriptions and distributing oxycodone to people without proper medical reasons.
McMillan is scheduled to be sentenced by Circuit Judge Cheryl Caracuzzo on the convictions of racketeering, conspiracy and nine counts of oxycodone trafficking. He could face between 25 years and 330 years in prison. In his defense, McMillan and his attorneys said that the clinics did not issue prescriptions to everyone who asked, claiming that 1,274 patients were discharged without being treated.
In addition to facing criminal charges, medical providers may be liable for pharmaceutical negligence if they cause injury to patients by improperly prescribing or distributing medication. If you or a loved one was injured due to a medical mistake or misconduct, contact Joyce & Reyes for a free consultation.
