{"id":55038,"date":"2023-12-14T16:57:49","date_gmt":"2023-12-15T00:57:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=55038"},"modified":"2023-12-14T16:57:49","modified_gmt":"2023-12-15T00:57:49","slug":"medical-clinic-office-manager-sentenced-to-seven-years-in-prison-for-distributing-60000-opioid-pills-for-cash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=55038","title":{"rendered":"Medical Clinic Office Manager Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Distributing 60,000 Opioid Pills for Cash"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"\"A medical clinic office manager was sentenced on Tuesday to seven years in prison for operating a pill mill clinic that unlawfully distributed over 600,000 opioid pills in exchange for cash.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Andres Martinez Jr., 30, of Laredo, Texas, was the office manager of Jomori Health and Wellness (Jomori), a purported Houston pain management clinic. Martinez operated Jomori with Dr. Oscar Lightner, 74, also of Laredo, as a pill mill. <\/span><\/p>\n

Lightner, who was the owner of and physician at Jomori, unlawfully prescribed dangerous combinations of controlled substances\u2014including hydrocodone, carisoprodol, and alprazolam\u2014to his patients without a legitimate medical purpose in exchange for cash payments ranging from $250 to $500. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Martinez, who is Lightner\u2019s stepson, coordinated with crew leaders to bring multiple people, including individuals living in homeless shelters, into Jomori to pose as patients to obtain prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances. <\/span><\/p>\n

Jomori received over $1.2 million in cash over 14 months through its scheme, which resulted in the unlawful distribution and dispensing of over 600,000 opioids and other controlled substances.<\/span><\/p>\n

On April 11, Martinez and Lightner\u00a0were convicted<\/a>\u00a0of unlawfully distributing and dispensing controlled substances and conspiracy. On Nov. 30, Lightner\u00a0was sentenced<\/a>\u00a0to seven years in prison.<\/span><\/p>\n

The DEA investigated the case.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Trial Attorneys Monica Cooper and Andrew Tamayo of the Criminal Division\u2019s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division\u2019s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. <\/span><\/p>\n

Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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