Gynecologist, 2 pharmacists and 10 drug dealers sentenced to prison in metro Atlanta pill mill bust

Thirteen people, including a gynecologist and two pharmacists, were convicted for their participation in a pill mill operation in metro Atlanta.

According to United States Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan, Anthony Mills, MD, 57, was a physician licensed to practice in Georgia since 1997 as a gynecologist.

Buchanan said Mills had operated a pill mill out of his home since at least October 2018, giving out hundreds of prescriptions for controlled substances (such as large amounts of oxycodone) to addicts and drug dealers for money. ‘money.

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Mills did not have a traditional patient-doctor relationship with these people.

Instead, he often issued prescriptions without ever meeting or evaluating the recipients.

Some of the prescriptions issued bore the names of people who were dead, imprisoned, or whose identities had been stolen at the time he wrote the prescriptions.

Channel 2 Action News Mills first reported in 2021 when Channel 2’s Tyisha Fernandes knocked on the door of the southwest Atlanta home where federal agents said he lived.

He did not answer. Neighbors said he moved out after a search of his house.

Most of the illegitimate prescriptions were filled by licensed pharmacist Raphael Ogunsusi, RPh, 71, through his pharmacies, Evansmill Pharmacy and Retox Pharmacy located in Stonecrest and Conyers.

Buchanan said Ogunsusi accepted large cash payments to fulfill the prescriptions, which he knew were illegal.

He charged far more than street value for illegal prescriptions – up to $900 to fill a single prescription for oxycodone and $500 to fill a prescription for Percocet.

Ogunsusi would require people filling the illegal prescriptions to purchase many other uncontrolled substances, which he called “Shebang.”

This way, he could maximize his profits and conceal that most of his customers only wanted to fill prescriptions for controlled substances at his pharmacies.

Ogunsusi also directed his pharmacy employees, including another licensed pharmacist, to fill the illegal prescriptions.

Besides Mills, Ogunsusi and the other pharmacist, 10 people who filled prescriptions and sold them to drug addicts were convicted.

Mills, of Atlanta, 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.

Ogunsusi, of Conyers, 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, pleaded guilty to using a telephone in the unlawful distribution and distribution of prescription controlled substances and was sentenced to 90 days in jail and one year of supervised release, the first three months being served at home. detention.

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Thomika Riley, 50, of McDonough, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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.

“Pharmaceuticals distributed for non-medical reasons can be just as deadly as illicit drugs,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Atlanta Division. “Dr. Mills distributed large quantities of pharmaceuticals and showed complete disregard for human life. Once he decided to distribute drugs illegally, he became nothing more than a drug dealer.

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