U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore told Feldman, “You became a drug pusher,” and said he would have the rest of his life “to think about that.” Ahead of Feldman’s sentencing hearing, he was facing a minimum of 20 years in prison and up to life. Talks between the judge and attorneys lowered the maximum to 30 years, but the minimum was set by statute.

Feldman asked the judge to show mercy in sentencing his wife, Kim Feldman, 66, who was scheduled to be sentenced after him. Ms. Feldman managed her husband’s office and was facing a possible sentence of between 15 and 19 years in prison, but her attorney had asked for probation.

After a 17-day trial in February, both Feldmans were convicted of multiple counts in a conspiracy that involved prescribing drugs outside of legitimate medical purposes. Feldman also relinquished his medical license in February.

Doctors and pain clinics and pharmacies found to have caused injury to patients through improper prescriptions can also be held accountable through civil lawsuits. Anyone who has been injured or lost a loved one as a result of pharmaceutical negligence should contact Joyce & Reyes for a free consultation.

The following is an excerpted transcript of the proceedings:

THE COURT: Okay. Well, let me tell you this. As you know – I don’t know how much I make, 75, 80 dollars an hour. I’ve been a lawyer since 1970. I did award Mr. Joyce $600 an hour in the past. And his, I want to say, workmanship, his cross-examination is astonishing, the way he handles witnesses, witnesses for the defense, experts. I mean, he’s very good. Six hundred dollars an hour I know is high end. There’s only a few lawyers in town that I think are worth $600 an hour. I think $600 an hour is a reasonable rate for him. It kind of hurts me because I only make like 75, 80 bucks an hour and I’m – you know, I’ve got probably the same number of years that he has and I’ve got – but he’s probably, on his cross-examination, top, top in town. I mean, can’t be too many more better than him. So I have to give him that rate of $600 an hour. All right?

Mr. Joyce won this fee petition matter, meaning that defense counsel had to pay his attorney’s fees. When you hire Joyce & Reyes to represent you in a personal injury lawsuit, you pay no fee unless we win your case. The court’s statements above are an indication of the value you receive.

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/.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said that the Broward County Sheriff’s Office collaborated with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration to bring the “dangerous drug dealer” to justice.

Dr. Thomas Rodenberg was found guilty of trafficking in oxycodone, racketeering, conspiracy and delivery of oxycodone and other prescription drugs by a jury. He was arrested in August 2012, along with 10 others, after an investigation of a medical clinic in Pompano Beach.

Undercover officers said they visited the clinic posing as patients and were prescribed controlled substances without showing a legitimate medical need. The officers received 55 prescriptions for different controlled substances, including almost 3,000 doses of oxycodone.

Bondi said that Florida has seen a decline in deaths related to prescription drug abuse in part because of crackdowns like this one.

When pill mills prescribe a medication that causes injury or death, they can be held liable, and victims and their families can recover compensation through a lawsuit. At Joyce & Reyes, we have extensive experience with this type of litigation. If you or a loved one has suffered harm as the result of an unscrupulous doctor or pain clinic, contact Joyce & Reyes for a confidential, no-cost consultation.

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/.