South Florida is known as the
pain pill capital of the United States. Prescription drug schemes can be found anywhere but the most common place for it is in
pain clinics spearheaded by doctors trying to make an illegal profit. Recently, a
prescription drug bust occurred at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Riviera Beach.
Usually, doctors in pain clinics try to make a quick profit by skimping on medical exams and providing prescription drugs like oxycodone to patients who don’t necessarily need it. Pain clinics are a huge problem in the effort against prescription drug trafficking and the law is cracking down.
Prescription Drug Trafficking in Riviera Beach
In Riviera Beach, a seven month undercover investigation has come to a close at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Riviera Beach. Over a dozen people have been
arrested and accused of running a prescription drug operation out of the medical center.
According to WPTV News, part of the undercover operation led investigators to the home of Terri and Carlos Guerra. There they found a safe containing 5,000
oxycodone pills and more than $100,000 dollars in cash. Now both Terri and Carlos Guerra are facing charges of
conspiracy to traffic oxycodone.
According to the affidavit, investigators started looking into the Terri and Carlos Guerra after Guerra's son, Larry Dorsey, was
arrested by the DEA in Pittsburgh for trying to sell
oxycodone. The affidavit says Dorsey told investigators where they could find more of the prescription medication and thousands of dollars.
According to WPTV News, the affidavit says Dorsey's mother, Terri Guerra, an employee of the VA, is responsible for the ordering and inventory of all controlled pharmaceuticals at the center. According to investigators, Guerra was placing orders for
oxycodone at the same time her son was selling them.
After a search of two residents, investigators seized more than 6,000 oxycodone pills and almost $200,000 dollars in cash.
Investigators say the all the
arrests that took place Thursday included veterans who were allegedly selling drugs to make money, nursing assistants, and pharmacy technicians. The State Attorney's Office says more
arrests are likely. No doctors have been
arrested, according to the article.
Oxycodone Trafficking Criminal Defense
Because of the huge problem of
prescription drug trafficking in South Florida, law enforcement officers are expending huge amounts of their budget to crack down on pill mills and prescription drug runners everywhere. If you have been accused of
trafficking prescription drugs, you are in for a long, difficult process with the law. A
criminal defense lawyer can assist you through this process and answer questions you may have. Only a
criminal defense lawyer can defend you in this situation and help you get the most reasonable sentence possible if you are convicted.