Contact Palm Beach Business.com by phone: 561 450-8258. By email.

Four more defendants get prison for pill mill operation

By Palm Beach Business.com

WEST PALM BEACH — Four more defendants, including three doctors, have been given prison sentences after pleading guilty to charges stemming from a massive pill mill operation that federal authorities busted last summer. Altogether, 24 of the 32 defendants in the case have been sentenced.

Federal Judge Kenneth A. Marra sentenced:

—  Michael Renda, 30 of West Palm Beach to 9 months in prison, to be followed by 1 year of supervised release.

— Michael Aruta, M.D., 48 of Boca Raton, to 72 months in prison, to be followed by 1 year of supervised release.

— Patrick Graham, M.D., 64 of Boca Raton, to 48 months in prison, to be followed by 1 year of supervised release.

— Robert Meek, D.O., 36 of Davie, to 66 months in prison, to be followed by 1 year of supervised release.

Renda plead guilty in October 2011 to one count of racketeering conspiracy. Graham, Aruta, and Meek plead guilty in October 2011 to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

All four were charged in connection with Operation Oxy Alley, an investigation into pill mills in Broward and Palm Beach counties. According to court records,  twin brothers Christopher and Jeffrey George operated four pain management clinics that sold about 20 million oxycodone pills and made more than $40 million from the illegal sales of controlled substances. Thirteen of the 32 defendants were doctors.

All but four of the 32 have pleaded guilty, including the George brothers.