OPIOID PILL MILLS FUELED BY ROMANCE & GREED: Hillbilly Dealers Collude with Lovers Monica Clark and Michael Scott, say Feds

OPIOID PILL MILLS FUELED BY ROMANCE & GREED: Hillbilly Dealers Collude with Lovers Monica Clark and Michael Scott, say Feds

Manager of Pain Clinic, Her Boyfriend, and Customers Facing Federal Charges for a Drug Distribution Conspiracy

BALTIMORE, MD. – The feds have shut down a pill mill operation that flourished in Washington, D.C., Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia in pain clinics, dumping illegal prescriptions for opioids into the community. Included in the roundup are West Virginia alleged drug mobster Larry N. Waller, who has been busted in several states thus far and now is cooling his heels in a West Virginia prison cell.

A criminal complaint has been filed charging the manager of a pain clinic, her boyfriend, and several customers with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including oxycodone and oxymorphone. The defendants charged in the criminal complaint are:

  • Monica Raynette Clark, 31, (DOB 03/27/1990) of 6101 Tapir Place, Waldorf, Maryland.
  • Michael Tyrone Scott III, 28, (DOB 08/27/1992)  of 2145 Freemantle Court, Waldorf, Maryland.
  • Larry Nathaniel Waller, 48, of Williamson, West Virginia.
  • Mildred Taylor, 67, of Stephenson, West Virginia.
  • Jason James Johnson, 41, of Kermit, West Virginia; and
  • Lisa Ann Lewis, 41, of Smithsburg, Maryland.

The complaint was filed on May 17, 2021, and unsealed on May 19, 2021, upon the arrest of five defendants.  The sixth defendant, Larry Nathanial Waller, is in West Virginia state custody on pending charges.

The criminal complaint was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge James A. Dawson of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG).

“State and federal authorities are working to shut down ‘pain clinics’ that are really just fronts for criminals who divert pharmaceutical drugs and hook a new generation of addicts” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner.  “Those who irresponsibly write opioid prescriptions are acting like street-corner drug pushers.  We are determined to reduce the number of opioid overdose deaths here in Maryland.”

“The operation of a drug trafficking network peddling prescription drugs for profit under the guise of a medical practice not only violates the law, it undermines the public confidence in the healthcare profession,” said James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division. “The FBI and our partners will continue to combat the illegal distribution of opioids, at all levels, through our investigations of those who seek to profit from this activity.”

ROMANCE AIDED PILL MILL CONSPIRACY

According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, law enforcement obtained evidence that drug trafficking was occurring at two pain clinics—Memorial Care Center, located in Woodbridge, Virginia (“Memorial Care”) and Washington DC Spine Center (“WDC Spine”), which closed in August 2019.  Clark was employed as the office manager of Memorial Care and was previously the office manager of WDC Spine. 

Prosecutors say that Clark was not a physician and did not have a Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) registration number.  The criminal complaint alleges that, since Clark was not authorized to prescribe controlled substances, she forged prescriptions for opioids using prescription pads from the clinics’ doctors, then illegally sold the forged opioid prescriptions to opioid users and diverters, including customers who live in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, such as Waller, Taylor, Johnson, and Lewis.  Clark is allegedly in a romantic relationship with Scott, who assists Clark in selling the forged prescriptions.

As detailed in the criminal complaint affidavit, investigation revealed that Waller, Johnson, Taylor, and Lewis are customers of Clark who purchase opioid prescriptions for themselves and for others.  Law enforcement allegedly discovered text messages between Clark and Waller, Johnson, Taylor, and Lewis arranging for the purchase of forged opioid prescriptions.  For example, the complaint alleges that from July 2019 to April 2021, more than 40 prescriptions were filled in Johnson’s name that were purportedly signed under the name of a Memorial Care and/or WDC Spine doctor.

The affidavit alleges that in an effort to evade scrutiny by law enforcement, Clark used several different phones to sell prescriptions and instructed customers to use specific pharmacies to fill prescriptions.  For example, Clark allegedly advised Taylor to fill prescriptions at a pharmacy “in Woodbridge… as long as everybody has a West Virginia ID or Virginia ID” as Clark was purportedly aware that pharmacies had begun to refuse opioid prescriptions from Memorial Care.  The criminal complaint further alleges this was in relation to an order of prescriptions for more than 20 individuals.

THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY All Crime All The Time

The criminal complaint further alleges that Clark instructed an undercover agent to claim a fictitious work injury in order to receive a professional recommendation for opioid use.

The criminal complaint further alleges that Clark instructed an undercover agent to claim a fictitious work injury in order to receive a professional recommendation for opioid use.  For example, Clark allegedly stated “When you get a free second, go to the emergency room. Tell them you had an accident at work… tell them you are having numbness and tingling in your leg and your foot. That warrants.”  Further, the complaint alleges that Clark later arranged to sell forged prescriptions to the undercover agent.  Clark and the undercover agent exchanged conversations in which Clark details meeting dates and times, the price for forged prescriptions, and deviance in sales methodology as clients began to be compromised by police.

Clark later arranged to sell forged prescriptions to the undercover agent. 

If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The overdose crisis continues to devastate our states and local communities. If you believe you may need substance use disorder treatment or recovery services, please call 1800-662-HELP (4357). You may also visit the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland for further information and resources on opioid awareness at https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/page/file/1390896/download.

WALLER IS IN WEST VIRGINIA DIVISION OF CORRECTIONS ON STATE DRUG DISTRIBUTION CHARGES

Waller, Larry Nathaniel  10/9/1972            DELIVERY OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE-1             21-F-48 DOC Division of Corrections Inmate    5/4/2021

OHIO STATE PATROL CHARGED LARRY N. WALLER WITH TRAFFICKING IN HEROIN

From Zanesville Times-Record July 8, 2019:

COLUMBUS – Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers filed felony drug charges against a West Virginia man after a traffic stop in Guernsey County. During the traffic stop, troopers seized 90 grams of cocaine and 30 grams of heroin worth approximately $11,200.

On June 26, at 11:49 a.m., troopers stopped a 2007 Toyota Camry with West Virginia registration for a following too close violation on Interstate 77.

 Criminal indicators were observed, and a Patrol drug-sniffing canine alerted to the vehicle. A probable cause search revealed the contraband. 

The driver, Larry N. Waller, 46, of Williamson, West Virginia, was incarcerated in the Guernsey County Jail and charged with possession of cocaine, a first-degree felony; possession of heroin, a second-degree felony; and trafficking in drugs, a third-degree felony.

If convicted, he could face up to 22 years in prison and up to a $45,000 fine.

U.S. 119 DRUG TASK FORCE ARRESTED LARRY WALLER FOR DISTRIBUTION

WILLIAMSON DAILY NEWS May 20, 2020:

Three individuals in Mingo County were arrested after they allegedly sold drugs to confidential informants working with the U.S. 119 Drug Task Force.

Bernie Hickman, age unknown, of Marrowbone, Herman Belcher, 69, and Larry Waller, 47, both of Williamson were each charged with possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance by the Mingo County Sheriff’s Department and the U.S. 119 Drug Task Force, according to criminal complaints filed in Mingo Magistrate Court.

Hickman was also charged with conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance after he conspired with Teresa Jarrell to allegedly deliver methamphetamine on March 5 to an undercover informant working with the Drug Task Force team.

Waller faces two counts of delivery of a controlled substance after he allegedly delivered heroin on March 10 and March 11 to an undercover informant working with the Drug Task Force team, according to the complaint.

Belcher also faces two counts of delivery for allegedly delivering suboxone on March 5 and March 20, 2019, to an undercover informant working with the Drug Task Force team.

Lt. E Sherrill and Sgt. R. Messer were listed as the arresting officers on all three arrest reports.

Larry-N.-Waller-Guernsey-County-Sheriff-Jail-photo-drug-arrest-2019
OffenseSentenceConviction TypeDate of ArrestDate of SentenceBond AmountBond TypeNext Court DateCourt
– DRUG ABUSE CAPIAS08/20/2020 0.0000No 10%  
  • MECHANICS WANTED
  • Kerry Joseph Woods Jr., age 23 of Lexington Park- Driving Vehicle While Under the Influence of Alcohol and Driving Vehicle While Impaired by Alcohol by Cpl. Pesante

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.