Doctor And Nurse Practitioner At Chattanooga Pill Mill Given Federal Prison Terms; Larmore Gets 13 Years, Sherard 5

A nurse practitioner and a physician at a Chattanooga pill mill were given federal prison terms on Thursday by Judge Curtis Collier. Charles "Chuck" Larmor got 13 years and Jerome Sherard five years.

Larmor, the nurse practitioner, had pleaded guilty early in the case, but did not testify against clinic operator Barbara Lang.

Sherard, the doctor, decided just before trial to plead guilty, and he testified for the government.

Prosecutor Gregg Sullivan had argued for a higher sentence for Sherard, saying that even after he was indicted he agreed to act as a front for a pain clinic at Seymour, Tn.

Sherard, 60, was already in custody and will go directly to prison. Larmor, 67, had been on bond and will be allowed to report to prison on June 26. He forfeited $375,829. There was also a forfeiture against Sherard of $192,956.

Both had initially faced up to 40 years in prison.

Prosecutor Sullivan said out of 30,000 practitioners in the state that the pair were among the top in dispensing oxycodone and other opioids.

He said deaths from opioids is sharply rising and they have overtaken vehicle accidents. He said Tennessee is 17th among the states in population, but fourth in opioid use.

"People are dying because of these pain killers. When doctors over-prescribe them, it is like handing out loaded guns," he said.

The prosecutor said the sentences should be a deterrent against other doctors who would do the same thing.

Saying that other segments of the system had failed to curb gross over-prescribing of pain pills in Tennessee, he said, "Right now I have at least half a dozen doctors who ought to be indicted."

Both men said there was "no excuse" for their conduct.

Larmor said, "I was doing this strictly for the money. I wish I had never gone there."

Sherard, who had a large contingent of supporters at the hearing, said, "I made the wrong choice. I betrayed the sacred trust of an honorable profession."

Attorney Hilary Hodgkins said Larmor was a military veteran who only had one DUI in his past. She said, "The year 2010 seemed to be a complete leave of his senses."

Prosecutor Sullivan said Larmor was not only over-prescribing to addicts, but was also supplying pills to drug dealers.

Attorney Bob Meeks said Sherard was able to become a doctor though he grew up in a housing project in Philadelphia without a father and with a mother he had no relationship with.

He said at the time of the crimes he was in financial straits following a divorce.

Among those writing letters in his behalf were his two sons - one in middle school and the other in early high school.

Saying that Sherard had "lost everything," Attorney Meeks said, "No doctor would risk taking a chance after seeing what happened to him."

Prosecutor Sullivan said Sherard in 1991 had been reprimanded by the state for pre-signing prescriptions and having staff members sign his name.

He said at the time of his arrest he was allowing staff members who did not have the credentials to act as physician assistants.

The conspiracies involved Superior One Medical Center, Primary Care and Pain Clinic and the Sherard Clinic.

Authorities said, "Facts presented at the sentencing hearing showed that controlled substances were prescribed to customers of these clinics even though many had histories of substance abuse; displayed physical signs or behaviors of drug abuse or over medication; admitted abusing drugs obtained from the clinic; failed drug tests; were caught abusing and/or distributing their prescribed medication; and/or admitted that they had diverted or sold controlled substances that had been prescribed to them in the past.  Evidence showed that many of the individuals who frequented these clinics sold their drugs on the street to other addicts and drug abusers.  

 

U.S. Attorney Bill Killian said, “Prescription drug abuse costs Tennessee almost what it spends on its highway budget each year, 1.4 billion dollars.  This is a serious societal problem in Tennessee.  Medical professionals must comply with federal law and we will vigorously prosecute those who do not.”