KNOXVILLE, Tenn.- In a major blow to the opioid epidemic, a federal judge has sentenced a Tennessee woman to over 21 years in prison for operating a pain clinic that dispensed millions of dollars in illicit prescriptions.
Tamral S. Guzman, 42, of Blount County, was sentenced to serve 258 months in federal prison by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee. This sentence was the result of her August 2012 trial conviction of multiple drug, money laundering and structuring offenses, contained in a 57-count indictment, as well as her guilty plea in January 2013 to a charge of failure to appear.
Guzman’s pain clinic, Maryville Pain Management, was operational from August 2008 until it was closed by federal authorities in December 2010. During that time, customers seeking prescriptions for drugs visited the clinic on more than 11,000 occasions. The clinic raked in millions of dollars in illicit prescriptions, with Guzman and her accomplices pocketing the profits.
As part of her sentence, Guzman was ordered to forfeit all proceeds of her crimes, including three houses, a fishing boat, and more than $197,000 that had been seized by federal authorities following her arrest. The court also entered a money judgment of more than $2.5 million against Guzman, representing additional funds subject to forfeiture as a result of her crimes.
Guzman’s accomplice, Brian Hatcher, 33, of Blount County, was also sentenced to serve 130 months in prison for assisting Guzman in her failure to appear and for intimidation of a witness. The pair fled to Hollywood, Fla., where they lived for approximately one month before being apprehended by the U.S. Marshals Service agents on October 31, 2012.
The conviction of Guzman and Hatcher came as a result of a joint investigation by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Blount County 5th Judicial Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Kolman and Frank M. Dale, Jr. represented the United States.
Guzman’s sentencing is a significant victory in the fight against opioid trafficking and money laundering. It sends a clear message that those who engage in such activities will be held accountable for their actions.
Related Federal Cases
- Anthony Laquesa Coleman, Drug Trafficking and Firearm Possession, Tennessee 2015 · Kentucky
- D Michael Dunavant, Drug Trafficking, Tennessee 2024 · North Carolina
- US Justice Department, Drug and Arms Trafficking, Washington D.C., … · Washington
- Reco Allen Jones, Cocaine Trafficking, Tennessee 2016 · Kentucky
- Rabbit Hopkins, Meth Trafficking, Tennessee 2024 · Tennessee
Key Facts
- State: Tennessee
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News