A 72-year-old Florida doctor’s smiling mugshot belies the shocking allegations of a deadly opioid ‘pill mill’ operation that has rocked a community and left at least 12 patients dead.
Even our own doctors are pushing these dangerous, damaging drugs. What has America come to?
At a Glance
- Elaine Cecil Sharp arrested for running alleged opioid ‘pill mill’, linked to at least 12 patient deaths
- Sharp charged with murder, manslaughter, racketeering, and drug trafficking offenses
- Ten others arrested in connection with selling drugs prescribed by Sharp
- Investigation revealed cash-only business and coaching patients to obtain opioid prescriptions
- Case highlights urgent need for stronger oversight in healthcare practices
From Respected OB-GYN to Alleged Pill Mill Operator
Dr. Elaine Cecil Sharp, once a respected obstetrician and gynecologist, now faces serious criminal charges for allegedly operating a deadly opioid ‘pill mill’ in Gulf Breeze, Florida. The 72-year-old doctor’s arrest has sent shockwaves through the medical community and raised alarming questions about healthcare accountability in the ongoing opioid crisis.
Sharp’s transformation from a University of Texas-Houston medical graduate to an alleged drug dealer began in 2017 when she started prescribing opioids. The Florida Department of Health noted a significant increase in opioid prescriptions from her practice, with over 3,000 controlled substance prescriptions issued in a single year. This surge in prescriptions caught the attention of local pharmacies, many of which began refusing to fill her prescriptions due to her reckless prescribing habits.
The 72-year-old doctor had been arrested for murder, manslaughter, and racketeering after a multiyear investigation of an illegal drug ring accused of dealing narcotics and opioids in Northwest Florida. https://t.co/DzHwrSJSfL
— KLBK News (@KLBKNews) October 9, 2024
A Web of Deceit: The Pill Mill Operation
Investigators uncovered a sophisticated operation designed to evade detection. Sharp’s practice required new patients to be recommended by existing clients, allowing her to control her clientele. The cash-only business model further raised suspicions, as did reports that Sharp coached patients on obtaining opioid prescriptions.
A joint FBI-FDLE task force investigation, which began in February 2021 following complaints from pharmacists about excessive oxycodone prescriptions, revealed the extent of the operation. Undercover agents were able to obtain pills with minimal examination at Dr. Sharp’s office, exposing the lax standards and potential dangers to patients.
The raid on Sharp’s practice in July 2022 resulted in the seizure of $20,000 in cash, further highlighting the lucrative nature of this illegal operation. This action followed Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo’s restriction on Sharp’s ability to prescribe controlled substances in June 2022.