Gynecologist, two pharmacists and others convicted of operating vast 'pill mill' network

Thirteen people, including an Atlanta-area gynecologist and two pharmacists, were convicted for their roles in operating an Atlanta-area “pill mill” ring that supplied drug addicts and drug dealers. drug large quantities of dangerous prescription drugs through illegal prescriptions and distribution.

“These individuals showed no regard for the safety and well-being of our community by illegally distributing prescription drugs,” said United States Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “We are steadfast in our efforts to combat the opioid epidemic on all fronts, and licensed professionals who exploit and put the public at risk with illicit drug operations for their personal greed are no exception and will be held responsible. »

“Pharmaceuticals distributed for non-medical reasons can be just as deadly as illicit drugs,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “Dr. Mills distributed large quantities of pharmaceuticals and showed complete disregard for human life. Once he decided to distribute drugs illegally, he became nothing more than a drug dealer.

“As one of many members of the Organized Crime Task Forces, IRS Criminal Investigation is proud to work side by side with other law enforcement partners to combat organized crime,” said Demetrius Hardeman, Special Agent in Charge of CI, Atlanta Field. Desk. “Today's sentence marks the end of a criminal operation in the Atlanta area. Criminal enterprises are advised that their illegal activities will be investigated and referred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecution.”

According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Anthony Mills was a physician licensed to practice medicine in the state of Georgia since 1997, whose specialty was listed by the medical board as “gynecology.” Since at least October 2018, Dr. Mills operated a pill mill out of his personal home where he dispensed hundreds of prescriptions for controlled substances (such as large quantities of oxycodone) to drug addicts and trafficking sponsors drugs in exchange for money. Dr. Mills failed to obtain prior medical records from his patients, failed to perform physical examinations, and did nothing to establish a valid patient-doctor relationship. Instead, he often issued prescriptions on behalf of people he had never met or evaluated. Some of the prescriptions issued by Dr. Mills were in the names of people whose identities had been stolen or who were incarcerated or deceased at the time Dr. Mills wrote the prescriptions.

A large percentage of the illegitimate prescriptions were filled by licensed pharmacist Raphael Ogunsusi through his pharmacies, Evansmill Pharmacy and Retox Pharmacy located in Stonecrest and Conyers, respectively. Ogunsusi knew that Dr. Mills' prescriptions were illegal, but he filled those prescriptions nonetheless.

Ogunsusi accepted large cash payments in exchange for filling these illegal prescriptions, including up to $900 to fill a single prescription for oxycodone and $500 to fill a prescription for Percocet. Ogunsusi knew that these prices far exceeded the market value of legitimate prescriptions for controlled substances. To conceal the significantly inflated prices he was charging, Ogunsusi falsified pricing information on his pharmacy's computers to make it appear that he had charged market prices for prescriptions. Ogunsusi also required sponsors to purchase a battery of additional non-controlled substances, which he called the “Shebang,” as a condition of filling illegal prescriptions for controlled substances. The purpose of these uncontrolled substances was to maximize his profits and conceal the fact that most of his customers only wanted to obtain controlled substances from his pharmacies. Ogunsusi also ordered his pharmacy employees, including another licensed pharmacist, to fill the illegal prescriptions.

Besides Dr. Mills and Ogunsusi, numerous pill promoters who obtained illegal prescriptions from Dr. Mills have been charged and convicted, with the most recent conviction occurring on May 22, 2024. These promoters obtained prescriptions from Dr. Mills and /or Ogunsusi and sold them to drug addicts.

U.S. District Judge William M. Ray, II sentenced the defendants in this case as follows:

• Anthony Mills, MD, 57, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to dispense and distribute prescription controlled substances and was sentenced to 11 years in prison and three years of supervised release.

• Raphael Ogunsusi, RPh, 71, of Conyers, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to dispense and distribute prescription controlled substances and money laundering and was sentenced to nine years and seven months in prison and one year of supervised release.

• Moses Kirigwi, RPh, 32, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty to using a telephone in the unlawful distribution and distribution of prescription controlled substances and was sentenced to 90 days in jail and to one year of supervised release, the first three months being served. under home detention.

• Thomika Riley, 50, of McDonough, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to dispense and distribute prescription controlled substances and was sentenced to six years and six months in prison and three years of supervised release.

• Brittany Tinker, 30, of Stonecrest, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to dispense and distribute prescription controlled substances and was sentenced to six years and six months in prison and three years of supervised release.

• Natalie Jackson, 40, of East Point, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to dispense and distribute prescription controlled substances and was sentenced to four years and three months in prison and two years of supervised release .

• Rogerick Smith, 46, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to dispense and distribute prescription controlled substances and was sentenced to seven years and eight months in prison and three years of supervised release.

• Keandre Bates, 31, of Decatur, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to dispense and distribute prescription controlled substances and was sentenced to nine years and two months in prison and three years of supervised release.

• Jeana Alston, 43, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to dispense and distribute prescription controlled substances and was sentenced to three years and one month in prison and two years of supervised release.

• Chafulumisa Lisbon, 33, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to dispense and distribute prescription controlled substances and was sentenced to nine years and two months in prison and three years of supervised release.

• Javon Hamilton, 34, of Bluffton, South Carolina, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to dispense and distribute prescription controlled substances and was sentenced to nine years and two months in prison and three years of supervised release .

• Marcena Jordan, 30, of Albany, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to dispense and distribute prescription controlled substances and was sentenced to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release.

• Travious Polain, 33, of Decatur, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to dispense and distribute prescription controlled substances and was sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison and three years of supervised release.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Rockdale County Sheriff's Office, Rockdale County Prosecutor's Office, DeKalb County Police Department, DeKalb County Prosecutor's Office, Richland County (South Carolina) Sheriff's Department, County Sheriff's Office of Saluda, South Carolina, Sandy Springs Police Department, Georgia Department of Community Surveillance and the Georgia Drug and Narcotics Agency also provided valuable assistance in this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys David A. O’Neal and Laurel Boatright Milam prosecuted the case.