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TAMPA — Surrounded by high-ranking law enforcement officials, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder on Friday announced the arrests of nine doctors and two pharmacists on charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled prescription drugs such as oxycodone.
Most of the doctors are from the Tampa Bay area. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each count. Most have been charged with multiple counts.
Authorities said the roundup is part of "Pill Nation II," a Drug Enforcement Administration initiative. Combined with "Pill Nation I" earlier this year, Holder said the operations have resulted in 118 arrests, the seizure of more than $19 million in assets and the closure of more than 40 pain clinics.
Holder was joined at the news conference in downtown Tampa by U.S. Attorney Robert O'Neill, Michele Leonhart, administrator for the DEA, state Attorney General Pam Bondi and members of various law enforcement agencies.
"Today's actions mark important progress in our ongoing fight against one of the nation's greatest public safety and public health epidemics, prescription drug abuse," Holder said.
Holder was quick to note Florida's unenviable distinction of being the epicenter of the epidemic. Prescription drug abuse kills almost eight people a day in the Sunshine State.
He and others praised the state's recent efforts to fight the problem, including the recently launched prescription drug monitoring program, which requires those who dispense certain drugs to enter information into a statewide database. The state also has passed several laws to restrict access to drugs such as oxycodone and Xanax.
But while those efforts are making a difference, Holder also noted that the state has seen record numbers of new pharmacy applications. Many of them have been denied, Leonhart said.
Authorities said the physicians now facing charges are Sanjeev Grover, 48, of Tampa; John Anthony Gianoli III, 51, of St. Petersburg; Ronald John Heromin, 46, of Miami and Tampa; Ihab Barsoum, 41, of Pasco County; James Richard Shelburne, 74, of Tampa; Edward Mosley of Brandon and Bradenton; T.J. McNichol of Brandon; Aimee Joy Martin, 35, of Bradenton; and Debra Roggow of Lee County.
The pharmacists arrested are Paul Vincent Rivers, 40, of Polk County and Youssef Saleeb, 27, of Winter Park.
O'Neill also announced the indictments of 15 Pasco County residents in a conspiracy to illegally obtain prescription drugs in Tampa and transport them to Kentucky for distribution.
Richard Martin can be reached at rmartin@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3322.
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