MIAMI – Seven people accused of owning and operating a now-defunct pain clinic with offices throughout Florida are behind bars.
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi made the announcement Wednesday at a news conference in Miami.
Bondi said Dr. Lynn Averill, who has since had her license pulled, sold oxycodone to addicts and drug dealers with the help of seven others. One person is still at large.
Bondi said within a six-month period in 2010, Averill purchased more than 430,000 oxycodone pills from wholesalers and sold to patients throughout the country, including at a Real Care Medical Group office in Plantation.
The drugs were sold to patients for between $1 and $5 per pill, according to charges.
Bondi said eight people died as a result of the illegal pill mill, and said Averill continued to supply the pills despite knowing about the deaths.
"If you have oxycodone and you no longer need it, turn it in to your local law enforcement --we don't want our children to get ahold of it," Bondi said. "It is extremely addictive."
Those arrested throughout Florida, New Jersey and Illinois Wednesday were Averill, Richard Philipoff, Diana Philipoff, Omar Lorden, Kieth Petnel, Nikhil Bhasin and Calvin Bynum.
Authorities are still looking for Presmil Masson Jr.
"I would suggest he turn himself in," Bondi said.
Authorities said 65 pain clinics were originally a part of the federal Operation Pill Nation investigation. The operation was turned over to the Office of Statewide Prosecution last year after it was discovered that eight people had died as a result of taking the medication.
Averill faces up to 180 years in prison if convicted of racketeering and manslaughter.
The other defendants face maximum penalties of 60 to 180 years in prison, if convicted.
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