ROANOKE, VA – Jennifer Adams, 52, of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, will spend the next three years in federal prison after being sentenced yesterday for her central role in a widespread healthcare fraud and drug conspiracy at multiple Pain Care Centers across southwest Virginia. The former Chief Operating Officer and practice manager knowingly facilitated the reckless prescribing of opioids and other controlled substances, all while lining her pockets.
Adams, who pled guilty in November 2024, was the right hand of John Barnes, a former mortgage broker with no medical background who purchased and operated the Pain Care Center clinics in Woodlawn, Lynchburg, Madison Heights, Blacksburg, and Christiansburg beginning in 2014. While Barnes owned the operation, Adams ran the day-to-day, turning a blind eye – and actively contributing – to a system built on exploiting vulnerable patients and defrauding insurers.
Court documents reveal Adams didn’t just stand by; she actively encouraged medical providers to defer to non-medical professionals when making critical treatment decisions. This meant determining whether patients should receive opioid addiction treatment, pain management, or even if they should receive a prescription at all. She essentially outsourced medical judgment to those with no expertise, prioritizing profit over patient well-being.
The operation reached a particularly disturbing level with Dr. Wendell Randall, a practitioner openly described by L5 employees as a “quack” and “train wreck.” Despite clear warnings that his patient files lacked justification for continued medication, and even questions about his medical credentials, Adams did nothing to intervene. She knowingly allowed a dangerously unqualified doctor to continue prescribing to patients, fueling the opioid crisis and endangering lives.
Furthermore, Adams admitted to the illegal use of doctors’ prescribing credentials – their DEA registration numbers – to prescribe Suboxone, a Schedule III drug for opioid addiction treatment, to patients they hadn’t even seen. This allowed the clinics to pump out prescriptions with minimal medical oversight. She also oversaw the implementation of fraudulent drug testing policies designed to inflate bills submitted to medical insurers, further enriching the scheme.
“This sentence sends a clear message: those who prioritize profit over patient safety and engage in healthcare fraud will be held accountable,” stated Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee. The investigation was a joint effort by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, the Virginia State Police, and the Virginia Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Cagle Juhan and Jason M. Scheff prosecuted the case, ensuring Adams faced justice for her crimes.”
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Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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