DETROIT – Shelby Township physician Lawrence Mark Sherman, 75, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for his role in distributing more than 270,000 opioid pills worth over $6.3 million, announced U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
U.S. District Judge Judith E. Levy sentenced Sherman, who was convicted of 20 charges related to the unlawful diversion of prescription drugs. Sherman worked part-time at Tranquility Wellness Center, Inc. from about March 2020 through June 2021, where he prescribed primarily Oxycodone, Oxymorphone, and Oxycodone-Acetaminophen 10- (Percocet), three of the most addictive prescription opioids.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Sherman conspired with the other defendants to illegally authorize more than 3,000 opioid prescriptions for supposed ‘patients’ who did not have a legitimate medical need for the drugs. The clinic accepted only cash, and charged patients based on the quantity, type, and dosage of prescription opioids they received. The clinic also charged cash for the creation of fraudulent medical records for the supposed ‘patients.’
The unlawful controlled substance prescriptions were paid for in cash, but both controlled and non-controlled ‘maintenance’ medications were billed to health care benefit programs by pharmacies. Billings to the Medicare and Medicaid programs for medically unnecessary prescription drug medications and maintenance medications during this conspiracy exceeded $500,000.
U.S. Attorney Ison stated, ‘My office will not waver in its commitment to aggressively identify, investigate, and prosecute doctors and other health care professionals who feed the opioid epidemic by writing illegal opioid prescriptions.’
The sentencing of Dr. Sherman highlights the FBI’s ongoing efforts against medical professionals who are using their position to line their own pockets while ultimately contributing to the opioid crisis. Sherman’s actions endangered countless lives, which goes against the oath he took as a doctor.
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Key Facts
- State: Michigan
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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