Central Florida communities and law enforcement continue to struggle with the proliferation of pain clinics, also called “pill mills”, along the Interstate 4 corridor. In the past few days, three physicians from Orlando, Kissimmee, and Winter Haven have been arrested for trafficking in oxycodone. As I have previously posted, what was once a problem focused in South Florida, appears to have now found its way into our neighborhood.
Dr. Ernesto Juan Perez was recently arrested in Winter Haven after drug agents reported that his unlicensed pain clinic provided oxycodone prescriptions to several undercover agents without any physical examination or any other medical testing. Apparently, two undercover agents received 120 doses of oxycodone in one visit.
In Osceola County, Dr. Jose Menendez was arrested after an undercover drug investigation in Sarasota County uncovered massive amounts of oxycodone in the possession of drug dealers — much of the oxycodone contained in bottles prescribed by Dr. Menendez.
Finally, Orlando physician, Dr. Mladen Antolic, was arrested at his home in Hunters Creek and charged with trafficking oxycodone. While serving a search warrant, drug agents also found 34 grams of cocaine, over 1500 oxycodone pills, and 250 Xanax bars.
Obviously, there are numerous societal reasons why these pill mills need to be shut down. Chief of these is probably the risk that is created when people are provided with easy access to this much strong medication. The danger of prescription drug overdose is very real in the Orlando, Osceola County, Polk County area. Over 30 deaths from prescription drug overdose have been reported this year in Orange and Osceola Counties.
If somebody close to you has unfortunately been killed by a prescription drug overdose, Orlando personal injury lawyer Kim Cullen would be happy to answer your questions and discuss your legal rights. Call us at 407-644-4444.
