Montgomery, Ala – Dr. Robert M. Ritchea, 54, of LaGrange, Georgia, faces a ten-year prison sentence for running a ‘pill mill’ and participating in a drug distribution conspiracy, announced Acting United States Attorney A. Clark Morris on May 9, 2017.
According to court documents, Dr. Ritchea operated a medical practice in Phenix City, writing prescriptions for controlled substances like oxycodone and hydrocodone knowing his patients did not need them. He laundered drug proceeds by purchasing medications from a manufacturer and distributing them out of his clinic.
The court heard evidence that one patient died from a methadone overdose shortly after receiving a prescription from Dr. Ritchea. Former patients described their addiction to prescription drugs, with monthly payments of at least $150 each for office visits and prescriptions.
Chief United States District Judge W. Keith Watkins emphasized the need to deter other doctors from overprescribing, calling Dr. Ritchea’s actions akin to a street corner drug dealer. The sentence is one of the largest ever imposed by a federal judge in Alabama on a doctor for operating a pill mill.
Acting United States Attorney Morris called the opiate abuse crisis a national issue and said Dr. Ritchea’s actions were devastating to his community. IRS-Criminal Investigations Special Agent in Charge James E. Dorsey emphasized the agency’s dedication to eradicating pill mill operations, noting their role in feeding the opioid epidemic.
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Related Federal Cases
- Phenix City Doc Pleads Guilty to Pill Mill Scheme & Money Laundering · Alabama
- Phenix City Doc Busted for ‘Pill Mill’ Scheme · Alabama
- Phenix City Drug Kingpin Given 35-Year Sentence · Alabama
- Phenix City Man Shedrick Hollis Caught Trafficking Drugs, Guns · Alabama
- Phenix City Duo Indicted for $2.5M Tax Fraud Scheme · Alabama
Key Facts
- State: Alabama
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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