The opioid crisis continues to grip communities across the United States, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives and leaving families devastated.
In Houston, Texas, federal authorities took a major step in combating this epidemic by sentencing a pharmacy owner and three pharmacists for their role in distributing massive quantities of addictive prescription drugs to the black market.
Pharmacies Misused to Feed Addiction
Authorities revealed that Arthur Billings, 61, and his co-conspirators turned Health Fit Pharmacy into a cash-only “pill mill,” selling dangerous narcotics like hydrocodone and oxycodone through individuals who were paid to pose as legitimate patients.
The pharmacy operated despite repeated warnings from the Texas State Board of Pharmacy, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the DEA.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi emphasized the severity of the crime, stating that anyone in the medical profession who abuses their position of trust to deal deadly drugs will face severe consequences.
“The opioid crisis has taken hundreds of thousands of lives and destroyed countless American families,” she said.
Arthur Billings Sentenced for Leading Scheme
Billings, the owner and pharmacist-in-charge, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison and ordered to forfeit $2.6 million.
Court documents show he ran the pharmacy for years, distributing prescription drugs to individuals funded by traffickers and using stolen physician identities to fill fraudulent prescriptions.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti condemned the operation, saying, “Billings and his co-conspirators brazenly operated a pill mill for years, selling dangerous narcotics and fueling the opioid epidemic.”
Co-Conspirators Face Justice
Three other pharmacists involved at Health Fit also received prison sentences:
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Deanna Winfield-Gates, 56, a relief pharmacist, was sentenced to six years in prison and a $60,000 forfeiture order. She helped dispense over half a million addictive pills, often in combination, knowing they would likely be abused.
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Jeremy Branch, 38, a former pharmacist-in-charge, received 22 months in prison and a $68,931.44 forfeiture order.
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Frank Cooper, 55, a relief pharmacist during the conspiracy, was sentenced to 20 months in prison and a $5,000 forfeiture order.
DEA Administrator Terrance Cole highlighted the betrayal of trust, saying, “Pharmacies exist to heal the sick, not to fuel addiction and line the pockets of drug traffickers.”
Investigation and Prosecution Efforts
The case was investigated by the DEA and prosecuted by Trial Attorney Drew Pennebaker of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, with support from Paralegal Specialist Meghan Malinowski.
The Fraud Section leads federal efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, which has charged more than 5,800 defendants since 2007 for defrauding federal health care programs and private insurers of over $30 billion.
The program continues to hold medical providers accountable and combat abuse in the health care system, ensuring that pharmacies are places for healing rather than sources of addiction.