Pill Mill Girlfriend Gets 5+ Years

PITTSBURGH, PA – A key player in a cross-country opioid distribution ring has been slammed with a lengthy prison sentence. Marcia Ramsier Arthurs, 62, formerly of Novato, California, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison this weekend for her role in a scheme to illegally distribute oxycodone, defraud Medicare and Medicaid, and steal from the Social Security Administration. U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady announced the sentencing, marking a significant blow to the operation.

The scheme, run in conjunction with ex-doctor Paul Michael Hoover, operated like a traveling pill mill. From March 2015 to June 2018, Hoover and Arthurs regularly journeyed from California to Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, setting up shop for one or two days at a time. Hoover churned out illegitimate oxycodone prescriptions for cash, while Arthurs managed the operation – counting the money, writing prescriptions, and keeping the illicit business running smoothly. Back in California, the pair received money orders from patients in the Pittsburgh area, mailing the fraudulent prescriptions in return.

But the oxycodone distribution wasn’t their only crime. Hoover and Arthurs also conspired to commit health care fraud, submitting preauthorization forms to Medicare and Medicaid for the bogus prescriptions, effectively billing taxpayers for illegally obtained drugs. The pair then attempted to launder the proceeds from their drug trafficking, obscuring the source of the funds. Adding insult to injury, Arthurs also pilfered $48,617.76 in Social Security Title II and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, falsely representing her living and financial arrangements to the Social Security Administration.

Judge Mark R. Hornak didn’t just hand down a prison sentence. He ordered Arthurs to pay $48,617.00 in restitution to the Social Security Administration and forfeit assets totaling approximately $1.2 million – including U.S. currency, gold, silver, and real property. This forfeiture represents a substantial attempt to claw back the ill-gotten gains from the operation. Hoover, the doctor at the center of the scheme, was previously sentenced to 136 months imprisonment and ordered to pay $406,760.75 in restitution.

The investigation, a collaborative effort between numerous federal and state agencies – including the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, the DEA, the FBI, and the IRS – was conducted by the Western Pennsylvania Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit. This unit is specifically designed to combat the ongoing prescription opioid epidemic plaguing the region. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cindy K. Chung and Rachael L. Mamula prosecuted the case, bringing Arthurs and Hoover to justice.

U.S. Attorney Brady emphasized the importance of interagency cooperation in dismantling these types of criminal enterprises. “This case demonstrates the devastating impact of opioid fraud and the commitment of law enforcement to hold those responsible accountable,” Brady stated. The successful prosecution serves as a stark warning to anyone attempting to profit from the misery of others through illegal drug distribution and fraudulent schemes.

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