The names of the 60 medical professionals who were charged by the FBI and the Department of Justice yesterday are beginning to be released to the public. Fifteen defendants, including eight doctors, were indicted in the Western District of Tennessee. As of Wednesday afternoon, only 11 of those defendants have been publicly identified.
The FBI and Department of Justice today announced criminal charges against 60 defendants—including 53 doctors, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, and other medical professionals who allegedly gave thousands of opioid prescriptions to addicted patients, essentially acting as their patients’ drug dealers. The effort is the largest law enforcement action to date against illegal opioid prescribers, officials said.
West Tennessee indictments include:
- Jeffrey Young, a nurse practitioner in Jackson and Memphis who is known as the “Rock Doc”, has been accused of prescribing opioids and other addictive medications and sometimes receiving sexual favors as payment.
- Dr. Alexander Alperovich and Dr. Andrew Rudin also of Memphis and Jackson, according to federal court records. All three suspects are charged with conspiracy to distribute and dispense controlled substances and other drug related charges.
- Dr. Charles Alston and nurse practitioner Britney Petway, both of the Superior Health and Wellness Clinic in Jackson, were charged with conspiracy to distribute and dispense controlled substances.
- Dr. Thomas Ballard III, of Jackson, charged with multiple counts of unlawful drug distribution and distributing a controlled substance resulting in death or serious bodily injury.
- Dr. Jay Shires, Dr. Loran Karlosky and nurse practitioner Mary Ann Board, all of the Downtown Medical Clinic in Bells,were charged with multiple counts of unlawfully distributing and dispensing a controlled substance and one count of conspiracy.
- Pharmacist Glenn Bonifield Jr. and pharmacy technician Michelle Bonifield, who worked at Mehr Drug Store in Bells, were charged with multiple counts of unlawfully distributing and dispensing a controlled substance and one count of conspiracy.