A federal jury on Thursday afternoon closed out an almost three-month-long trial by finding Chattanooga pain clinic operator Barbara "Aunt Bea" Lang guilty of multiple charges.
Ms. Lang, 60, of Rossville faces a lengthy prison term when she is sentenced by Judge Curtis Collier on April 9.
The trial began in early November and included 25 days of testimony.
Ms.
Lang had faced a 66-count indictment along with her daughter, Faith Blake, 40, of Houston; Charles Reed Larmore, 64, of Chattanooga, and Dr. Jerome Arnold Sherard, 58, of Hixson.
Dr. Sherard, Superior One’s medical director, pleaded guilty to conspiring to illegally distribute drugs at Superior One Medical Clinic and at the Sherard Clinic, his own practice.
Larmore, a nurse practitioner employed at Superior One and Primary Care, pleaded guilty to conspiring to illegally distribute drugs at both those clinics.
Prosecutor Gregg Sullivan said Ms. Lang was convicted of the most serious counts.
Altogether, she was convicted of two drug conspiracy charges; five maintaining a drug-involved business; and 14 structured transactions to avoid reporting requirements. She was acquitted of one count of maintaining a drug involved business, eight structuring counts, and one charge of harboring a fugitive, her daughter, Ms. Blake.
She had been charged with conspiring to illegally distribute and dispense several controlled substances, including oxycodone, methadone, morphine, hydrocodone (Vicoden), and alprazolam (Xanax).
Forfeiture allegations seeking $7.2 million were also brought by the government. Judge Collier is to rule later on the forfeiture amount for Ms. Lang.
The indictment detailed over $1 million in cash and bank accounts that have already been seized.
Prosecutor Sullivan said, "Evidence presented at trial established that Lang and Blake operated Superior One as a 'pill mill,' a location where individuals could easily obtain prescriptions for powerful pain killers such as oxycodone with little or no documented need. Armed guards patrolled the parking lots. Customers paid cash to obtain prescription drugs which were then abused and/or sold to others. Large doses of the drugs were routinely prescribed. Lang later opened Primary Care, and while she made some effort to present a more 'legitimate' business, engaged in the several of the same illegal practices.
"Records obtained from the state of Tennessee showed that Sherard and Larmore prescribed more narcotics than all but about 10 of the more than 20,000 prescribers in the state and routinely prescribed dangerous amounts and combinations of opioids and other narcotics. The jury heard evidence from clinic landlords, neighbors, customers, medical providers, wiretaps, and law enforcement officials that drug-seeking customers travelled hours to come to the clinics, engaged in drug activities around the clinics, and traded pills for cash. Customers would be given prescriptions even after they had failed drug tests, admitted abusing or selling drugs, or failed to document a medical need for the medication. During the seven months that it operated, Superior One generated over $2 million. During the 11 months that it operated, Primary Care generated approximately $2 million. The jury heard evidence that Lang “skimmed” approximately $175,000 from Primary Care that she did not report to the IRS. When agents searched her house they found a money-counting machine and $234,333 in cash in a safe."
Ms. Blake and Ms. Lang owned and operated Superior One Medical Clinic at different locations in Chattanooga from December 2010 to July 2011. Ms. Blake operated Elite Care Pain Clinic at different locations in Chattanooga from August to November 2011. Ms. Lang and Larmore operated Primary Care and Pain Clinic at different locations in Chattanooga from August 2011 to the present. Sherard also operated his own medical practice under several names including, Sherard Clinic, Sherard Pediatric Clinic, Sherard Family Clinic, Sherard Medical Center, Sherard General Practice and Pain Management Clinic, and Skyview Medical Center of Chattanooga, from at least September 2009 through June 2012. Sherard was also the medical director for Superior One Medical Center and Elite Care Pain Clinic. Larmore was a nurse practitioner who worked at Superior One Medical Center and Primary Care and Pain Clinic before becoming the owner of Primary Care and Pain Clinic.
Prosecutors said earlier that if convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million on each of the conspiracy charges, up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000 on each of the maintaining a drug involved premises charges, and prison terms of up to 20 years and fines of up to $1 million for each distribution of a Schedule II controlled substance, up to 10 years in prison and a fine up to $500,000 for each distribution of a Schedule III controlled substance, and up to 5 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 for each distribution of a Schedule IV controlled substance.
As part of the same investigation, last June 5, 23 individuals from Roane County who utilized these clinics as sources for their prescription drugs were charged with drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracies.
“Prescription drug abuse is a widespread problem in our district and country. We will continue to aggressively indict and prosecute those cases,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Killian.
The indictments are the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Internal Revenue Service, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Chattanooga Police Department, Roane County Sheriff’s Office, Rockwood Police Department, and Kingston Police Department.