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KNOXVILLE, Tennessee (CBS / WVLT) – According to a CBS News report, eight health professionals from eastern Tennessee were accused of having participated in a massive opioid kidnapping operation by the federal government in 11 states. .
Five doctors, a nurse practitioner, a medical assistant and an office manager were indicted in four cases in East Tennessee. Two doctors have been accused of fraud in the health field and three of them are linked to so – called pill mills.
A press release from the Tennessee Department of Justice identified those in eastern Tennessee as being:
Tennessee Pain Specialists
– Dr. Steven Mynatt of Knoxville, accused of conspiracy to distribute Schedule II drugs and two Schedule II drug distribution leads.
– David Newman, of Maryville, charged with conspiracy to distribute Schedule II controlled drugs.
Mynatt and Newman have both worked with pain specialists in the Tennessee Valley. According to US District Attorneys, Newman and Mynatt "knowingly, intentionally" and "not for medical purposes" distributed oxycodone and oxycodone MS.
LaFollette Wellness Center
– Dr. Henry Babenco is charged with conspiracy to distribute and distribute a controlled substance, as well as to distribute and distribute money laundering. According to the prosecutor, he transferred $ 35,000 from one account to another in October 2018.
– Sharon Naylor of Jacksboro, Tennessee, is charged with conspiracy to distribute Schedule II controlled drugs. Naylor is scheduled to appear in US District Court at 9:30 am on Friday.
– Gregory Madron, of Jacksboro, charged with conspiracy to distribute Schedule II controlled drugs. Madron, Mynatt and Newman appeared in court on Wednesday.
– Alicia Taylor is charged with conspiracy to distribute and distribute a controlled substance and to distribute and distribute a controlled substance. Taylor was the assistant of a doctor under the supervision of Babenco, said the prosecutor.
Babenco, Naylor, Taylor and Madron all participated in the LaFollete Wellness Center. Madron was the director of the center, Naylor was a nurse, Taylor was a doctor's assistant, and Babenco was a doctor.
No known affiliation
Dr. Harrison Yang is accused of submitting a billed order to TennCare that was not medically necessary.
– Dr. Charles Brooks of Maryville, charged with conspiracy to distribute drugs from Schedules III, IV and V, as well as a Chief of Health Fraud, for which he wrote a prescription blank to complete and submit, according to the US Attorney. . The substances distributed include suboxone, clonazepam, diazepam and pregababine. Brooks was arrested a few weeks ago and appeared in court.
According to the US District Attorney, all incur a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of one million dollars, with the exception of Yang. Yang faces a maximum penalty of five years and a fine of $ 250,000.
None of the defendants were affiliated with hospitals, but the office could not "provide specific information on their specific affiliations" beyond what the documents have already revealed.
The US District Attorney stated that it was "not planned to request detention" of the accused.
A total of 54 health professionals were indicted by the US Department of Justice for illegal distribution of opioids and other narcotics.
"The opioid epidemic is the deadliest drug crisis in American history and the Appalachians are suffering the consequences more than any other region," said Attorney General William P. Barr in a statement to CBS News. "But the Department of Justice is doing its part to help end this crisis." One of the ministry's most promising new initiatives is the Regional Opiate Intervention Force (ARPO) of the Criminal Division. , which began its work in December. "
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