FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Broward Sheriff's Office arrested the final suspect accused of owning and operating a now defunct pain clinic with offices throughout Florida, including Plantation.
Presmil Masson Jr., 44, was arrested Monday on two counts of racketeering and six counts of manslaughter.
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Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that eight people have been charged in the illegal operation during a news conference last week.
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. All of the suspects were arrested last Wednesday, with the exception of Masson.
Prosecutors claim Averill was abusing drugs herself and made $1 million in 10 months, taking home a salary of $4,000 a week.
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.
Those arrested throughout Florida, New Jersey and Illinois last week were Averill, Richard Philipoff, Diana Philipoff, Omar Lorden, Kieth Petnel, Nikhil Bhasin and Calvin Bynum.
Masson and Averill face 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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