A large-scale pain pill trafficking ring was smashed Wednesday resulting in the arrest of eight people and the seizure of 12,000 Oxycodone pills.
The investigation, dubbed “Operation Key Chain” began in July last year on Key Medical Clinic, located at 1560 6th Street SW in Winter Haven, a front for the illegal pill mill operation, said Polk County deputies.
The elaborate pill mill ring involved the clinic’s owner, recruiters, “smurfs” used by recruiters to get prescriptions filled and a “boss” who directed the operation.
On Wednesday, Polk County detectives, FDLE and the Department of Health arrested the following persons: 46-year-old Patricia “Trish” Osbourn, owner of Key Medical Clinic, 39-year-old Elizabeth “Liz” Sykes, the “boss” who directed the operation and 62-year-old Gwendolyn Ward, a recruiter of “smurfs.”
Investigators said, the prescriptions used by the “smurfs” were on prescription forms obtained by Osbourn, using one of her clinic’s former employed doctors’ DEA numbers and forged signatures. Osbourn is not a medical doctor nor was authorized to fill prescriptions, deputies said, but as owner of the Clinic, she answered incoming telephone calls from pharmacies to verify the legitimacy of the prescriptions.
Deputies also arrested Angelica John, 23, who worked at the Clinic, who also verified the false prescriptions and had knowledge this was illegal. She told detectives she “thought this might be wrong but did it anyway.”
Osbourn, Sykes, Ward and John have all been charged with conspiracy to traffic in Oxycodone.
Others arrested during the dismaltling of the illegal pain pill take down:
Katie Clarke, 44 years, charged with conspiracy to traffic in Oxycodone, possession of Cocaine, possession of Alprazolam within 1000 feet of a school, among other charges.
Deputies said, three other suspects were present during the time of the other arrests and search warrants, and were taken into custody on charges of possession of illegal drugs and or fraud in urine testing. These are:
- Lindsey Buckner, 22 years.
- Kimberly Smith, 21.
- Gwendolyn Townsend, 46.
As a result of the investigation, detectives learned that there were over 700 people who received and filled fraudulent prescriptions they obtained from Osbourn. Of those, detectives have identified 150 other recruiters who were actively working for Sykes to get the pills for their trafficking operation.
Deputies said, arrests for the identified “smurfs” are pending the completion of this investigation. At least 2,500 prescriptions, mostly for Oxycodone, have been linked to Osbourn and the Key Medical Clinic.
WTG