Man Sentenced for Part in Pill Mill Operation Linked to Distributing Over 11 Million Pills
Sentence for Pill Mill Ringleader
A 63-year-old man named Clyde Tipton has been sentenced to more than four years behind bars for an intricate pill mill operation. This operation spanned across both Tennessee and Florida, impacting countless lives.
Details of the Conviction
According to the District Attorney, Tipton is due to serve 50 months in prison, following which he will undergo three years of supervised release. This conviction marks the last sentence in a significant pill mill case that led to approximately 140 individuals getting federal criminal convictions.
As per Tipton’s plea agreement, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to launder money, and two counts of conspiracy to defraud the United States and pay healthcare kickbacks. The effective charges pile up to create a serious sentence for the man previously known as a clinic owner in Tazewell.
Extent of Illegal Operation
The damning extent of Tipton’s operation was unmasked in the courtroom. The sentencing highlighted that pill mills owned and operated by Tipton and several others were responsible for distributing over 11 million tablets of strong painkillers like oxycodone, oxymorphone, and morphine. The offensive earned them more than $21 million in revenue with an estimated street value of a whopping $360 million.
The operation was not confined to a single location. Four clinics in and around Knoxville, were directly involved in the operation. Each clinic was a pill mill, connected to multiple other locations in Hollywood, Florida.
Continued Efforts Against Drug Trafficking
The arrest of Tipton and the ensuing conviction mark important milestones in the continuous fight against illegal drug trafficking in the region. Law enforcement agencies have persistently been working to curb the menace and bring justice to the victims who have been savagely affected by these pill mill operations.
