LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A federal indictment has charged 19 physicians, including one from Little Rock, for conspiracy to distribute the prescription drug oxycodone, the Department of Justice announced Wednesday.
The indictment came as part of a Drug Enforcement Administration initiative to focus on eradicating illegal pharmaceutical drug activity.
The Little Rock doctor, Dr. Richard Johns, 49, was charged in May with similar offenses involving 187 counts of fraudulent practices.
The investigation originally started in November 2014 when an overdose death led to an examination of Johns and his suspected criminal practices. Investigators discovered the fraudulent prescriptions, which they said added up to 16,830 oxycodone pills and a street value of $505,000.
Johns allegedly participated in a distribution network and sold oxycodone prescriptions for specific individuals for $500 each without having examined, or at many times even met, the patients.
Co-conspirators have admitted to participating in the scheme dating back to 2011.
“As alleged in the indictment, the doctor writing these fraudulent prescriptions is no different than a common, street-level drug dealer on the street, and should be treated as such,” said Christopher Thyer, the U.S. attorney for the eastern district of Arkansas. “As a society we have granted certain health care professionals the right to prescribe and use highly addictive drugs to treat their patients. When that right is abused, we will aggressively pursue those health care professionals as the criminals that they are.”
The DEA has been fighting against such drug crimes in its “Operation Pilluted” since January 2014. This operation has been targeting the biggest sources of illegally diverted pharmaceuticals by investigating suspicious activity among practitioners, pharmacists, other DEA Registrants and criminal organizations involved in pharmaceutical distribution. Operation Pilluted also aims to educate the community about the dangers of such criminal practices.
Thus far, Operation Pilluted has brought six federal indictments charging 113 people, including five doctors, in the eastern district of Arkansas.
“Prescription drug abuse is an extremely serious problem, not just in Arkansas, but nationwide,” DEA agent Joseph Shepard said. “DEA and our law enforcement partners will continue to investigate professionals in the medical field who operate as drug peddlers. Those persons who disregard their ethical and legal obligations while dispensing pharmaceuticals will be forced to bear the consequences of their actions.”
Possession/conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone, a Schedule II controlled substance, is punishable by up to 20 years in prison with a possible fine of up to $1 million.
The following defendants were named in the indictment:
- Richard Duane Johns, 49, Little Rock
- David Larue Scroggins, 56, Cabot
- Marissa Donann Scroggins, 29, Cabot
- Christopher David Scroggins, 36, Cabot
- Donna Michelle Cearns, 28 Cabot
- Vanessa E. Byrd, 29, Ward
- Randy James Byrd, 28, Ward
- James Jason Washam, 38, Scott
- Jerri D. Washam, 33, Scott
- Christine Marie Zeman, 46, Lonoke
- Megan Brooke McConnell, 25, Judsonia
- Gregory Chase McConnell, 24, Judsonia
- Aron Scot Cochran, 26, Searcy
- Scotty Wayne Ferren Jr., 25, Searcy
- Jason Ray Beaudry, 29, Searcy
- Dustin R. Bullock, 27, Searcy
- Charles Lester Mason, 69, Searcy
- Joshua David Ringer, 29, Searcy
- James Vernon Spiker Jr., 28, Judsonia