According to a press release issued by the United States Department of Justice, Dr. William Bacon, 82, and Dr. Donatus O. Mbanefo, 64, have been found guilty of conspiracy to dispense controlled substances outside the usual course of medical practice and without a legitimate medical purpose at clinics in Valdosta and Columbus, Georgia.
Dr. Mbanefo was also convicted of two additional counts of unlawful dispensation of controlled substances.
Both doctors went before Senior District Judge Hugh Lawson between May 29 and June 13, 2018 in Valdosta, Georgia.
Evidence revealed during the trial that both doctors worked at a clinic created by co-conspirators Carol Neema Biggs, Nilija Biggs and Junior Alexander Biggs.
The Wellness Center of Valdosta (WCV) was located at 2016 E. Adair Street and operated as a pain clinic.
The clinic was seeing unrealistically large numbers of patients on a daily basis, did not accept insurance forms or government benefits but took cash payments only of between $250 and $325 to see any patient.
Patients could also be offered a 'VIP' option which allowed them to be seen sooner if they paid more.
Dr. Bacon wrote more than 29,000 prescriptions for controlled substances over a span of 27 months while working at the WCV. Those prescriptions included more than 1.8 million oxycodone pills and more than 700,000 Xanax and Soma pills.
The co-conspirators then opened another clinic called Relief Institute of Columbus where Dr. Mbanefo saw patients between mid-March 2013 and mid-June 2013. During that time, Dr. Mbanefo prescribed over 2,900 prescriptions for controlled substances which included 127,000 oxycodone pills and more than 43,000 Xanax and Soma pills.
The clinic located in Columbus had its name changed, briefly, to Tri-City Spinal Center and had been relocated to 7661 Kayne Boulevard.
Both doctors were paid between $1,200 to $1,400 a day to see patients at both clinics and were also rewarded bonuses when a doctor saw more than 40 patients in a single day.
Patient cash payments amounted to more than $2 million for visits and prescriptions.
Both Bacon and Mbanefo could face up to 20 years in federal prison, each.
In addition to both doctors being convicted, their co-conspirators could face a combined 17 years in federal prison.
“This case demonstrates the importance of pursuing those individuals, including licensed medical professionals, who are preying on the addictive nature of opioids and other controlled substances,” said the United States Attorney Charlie Peeler. “My office and the Department of Justice have made efforts to control what the CDC has declared an Opioid Epidemic in this country that is killing people and fueling the current spike in the illegal heroin trade. Doctors are not above the law and our office will continue to hold doctors accountable for illegal practices that put powerful, addictive and dangerous painkillers and other substances into the hands of those who do not medically need them.”
“Doctors who illegally dispense prescription narcotics must be held accountable for their actions. This conviction demonstrates the great work of law enforcement at all levels to investigate and prosecute the illegal distribution of prescription drugs negatively impacting Georgia and our surrounding states. The GBI remains committed to working with our federal partners in drug enforcement to address these types of crimes,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division.
In addition to this case, The United States Drug Enforcement Administration has also indicted a former Union General Hospital CEO, an ER Director and a Blairsville physician for illegally prescribing and obtaining pain pills.
According to the U.S. DEA, John Michael Gowder, Dr. David Gowder and Dr. James Heaton were indicted in April 2018 as part of Operation SCOPE on federal charges for illegally prescribing and obtaining thousands of doses of prescription pain medications outside the usual course of professional medical practices, according to a news release put out by the U.S. DEA.
“Americans rely on healthcare providers, many of whom are medical doctors, to use their training to help patients and to ‘do no harm.’ The physicians and the hospital CEO, in this case, violated the law and betrayed their responsibilities by unlawfully obtaining and dispensing prescription opioids,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “The moment these individuals decided to engage in this criminal behavior, they became nothing more than traditional drug traffickers. DEA, its law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are committed to stemming the tide against the current opioid epidemic.”
In another case, two more doctors plus a former hospital administrator in North Georgia are awaiting trial, also charged with illegally prescribing prescription pain pills.
Prosecutors called the case part of the opioid epidemic putting lives at risk across this state.
“It’s been an increasing problem that we’ve been fighting for several years," District Attorney Jeff Langley said. "To see people in authority, in power, with education, with means, that should know better, this raises grave concerns, and is not a good example for our community.”
ADDITIONAL ARTICLES |
- 'Broke his arm to get more prescription opioids'" New W.H. ad features Atlanta man's story
- Isakson cosponsoring opioid bill in a fight that is personal to his family
- New drug available to Fulton County inmates suffering from opioid withdrawal
- Former Georgia ME, 7 others indicted in sex and opioid scheme
Sign up for The Speed Feed newsletter below to get the latest headlines in your inbox each weekday!
