Gynecologist, Two Pharmacists, and Others Sentenced for Operating Massive “Pill Mill” Network

www.justice.gov, May 22, 2024

ATLANTA – Thirteen individuals, including an Atlanta-area gynecologist and two pharmacists, have now been sentenced for their roles in operating an Atlanta-area “pill mill” network that supplied addicts and drug dealers with large amounts of dangerous prescription drugs through illegal prescribing and dispensing.

“These individuals showed no regard for the safety and well-being of our community when illegally distributing prescription drugs,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “We are resolute in our efforts to fight the opioid epidemic on all fronts, and licensed professionals who exploit and endanger the public with illicit drug operations for personal greed are no exception and will be held accountable.”

“Pharmaceutical products that are distributed for non-medical reasons can be just as deadly as illicit drugs,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “Dr. Mills distributed vast quantities of pharmaceutical products and had total disregard for human life. The moment he decided to illegally distribute drugs, he became nothing more than a drug trafficker.”

“As one of several members of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, IRS Criminal Investigation is proud to work side-by-side with other law enforcement partners to combat organized crime,” said Demetrius Hardeman, CI Special Agent in Charge, Atlanta Field Office. “The sentence today signifies the end to an Atlanta area criminal operation.  Criminal enterprises are on notice that their illegal activities will be investigated and forwarded to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecution.”

 According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Anthony Mills was a medical doctor, licensed to practice medicine in the State of Georgia since 1997, whose specialty was listed with the medical board as "Gynecology.” Since at least October of 2018, Dr. Mills operated a pill mill out of his personal home where he issued hundreds of prescriptions for controlled substances (such as large quantities of oxycodone) to addicts and drug dealing sponsors in exchange for cash. Dr. Mills did not obtain prior medical records of his patients, conduct physical exams, or do anything to establish a valid patient-physician relationship. Instead, he often issued prescriptions in the names of individuals he never met or evaluated.  Some of the prescriptions that Dr. Mills issued were in the names of individuals whose identities had been stolen or who were incarcerated or deceased at the time Dr. Mills wrote the prescriptions.

A large percentage of the illegitimate prescriptions were filled by licensed pharmacist Raphael Ogunsusi through his pharmacies, Evansmill Pharmacy and Retox Pharmacy located in Stonecrest and Conyers, respectively. Ogunsusi knew that Dr. Mills’ prescriptions were illegal, but he nonetheless filled those prescriptions.

Ogunsusi accepted large cash payments in exchange for filling these illegal prescriptions, including as much as $900 to fill just one prescription for oxycodone and $500 to fill one prescription for Percocet. Ogunsusi knew these prices were well over the market value for legitimate controlled substance prescriptions. To disguise the significantly inflated prices that he was charging, Ogunsusi falsified the pricing information on his pharmacy computers to give the appearance that he had charged market prices for the prescriptions.  Ogunsusi also required sponsors to purchase a battery of additional non-controlled substances, which he referred to as the “Shebang,” as a condition for filling illegal controlled substance prescriptions. The purpose of these non-controlled substances was to maximize his profits and to conceal that most of his customers only wanted to fill controlled substances at his pharmacies. Ogunsusi also directed his pharmacy employees, including another licensed pharmacist, to fill the illegal prescriptions.

In addition to Dr. Mills and Ogunsusi, numerous pill sponsors who obtained illegal prescriptions from Dr. Mills were charged and sentenced, with the most recent sentencing occurring on May 22, 2024. These sponsors obtained prescriptions from Dr. Mills and/or Ogunsusi and sold them to drug users.

U.S. District Judge William M. Ray, II sentenced the defendants in this case as follows:

  • Anthony Mills, M.D., 57, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to dispense and distribute prescription controlled substances and was sentenced to 11 years in prison and three years of supervised release.
  • Raphael Ogunsusi, RPh, 71, of Conyers, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to dispense and distribute prescription controlled substances and money laundering and was sentenced to nine years and seven months in prison and one year of supervised release.
  • Moses Kirigwi, RPh, 32, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty to using a telephone in connection with the unlawful dispensing and distribution of prescription controlled substances and was sentenced to 90 days in prison and one year of supervised release with the first three months served in home detention.
  • Thomika Riley, 50, of McDonough, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to dispense and distribute prescription controlled substances and was sentenced to six years and six months in prison and three years of supervised release. 
  • Brittany Tinker, 30, of Stonecrest, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to dispense and distribute prescription controlled substances and was sentenced to six years and six months in prison and three years of supervised release.
  • Natalie Jackson, 40, of East Point, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to dispense and distribute prescription controlled substances and was sentenced to four years and three months in prison and two years of supervised release.
  • Rogerick Smith, 46, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to dispense and distribute prescription controlled substances and was sentenced to seven years and eight months in prison and three years of supervised release.
  • Keandre Bates, 31, of Decatur, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to dispense and distribute prescription controlled substances and was sentenced to nine years and two months in prison and three years of supervised release.
  • Jeana Alston, 43, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to dispense and distribute prescription controlled substances and was sentenced to three years and one month in prison and two years of supervised release.
  • Chafulumisa Lisbon, 33, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to dispense and distribute prescription controlled substances and was sentenced to nine years and two months in prison and three years of supervised release.
  • Javon Hamilton, 34, of Bluffton, South Carolina, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to dispense and distribute prescription controlled substances and was sentenced to nine years and two months in prison and three years of supervised release.
  • Marcena Jordan, 30, of Albany, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to dispense and distribute prescription controlled substances and was sentenced to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release.
  • Travious Polain, 33, of Decatur, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to dispense and distribute prescription controlled substances and was sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison and three years of supervised release.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. The Rockdale County Sherriff’s Office, Rockdale County District Attorney’s Office, DeKalb County Police Department, DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office, Richland County (South Carolina) Sheriff’s Department, Saluda County (South Carolina) Sheriff’s Office, Sandy Springs Police Department, Georgia Department of Community Supervision, and Georgia Drugs and Narcotics Agency also provided valuable assistance in this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys David A. O’Neal and Laurel Boatright Milam prosecuted the case.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

News article: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/gynecologist-two-pharmacists-and-others-sentenced-operating-massive-pill-mill-network