Florida Pill Mill Doctor Found Guilty On 17 Counts Of Drug Charges
MIAMI - Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement (DEA), Miami Field (MFD); Pam Bondi, Attorney General of Florida; and Scott Israel, Sheriff, Broward County Sheriff’s (BSO) announced yesterday that Doctor Thomas (54, Ft. Lauderdale) was found guilty on all 14 charges including: Racketeering, Conspiracy, Trafficking in oxycodone, and four counts of illegal delivery of controlled substances, including: oxycodone, hydrocodone, Methadone and alprazolam. Rodenberg, a board certified pain management doctor, faces up to 350 years in prison. The conviction comes following a three week trial in Broward County, Florida.
Dr. Rodenberg was one of eleven defendants who were arrested in August 2012, resulting from a three year investigation into the illegitimate operations of Pompano Beach Medical. The investigation was led by the DEA in conjunction with the BSO, and the Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution. Dr. Rodenberg and his co-defendants, Steven August Edson, Bruno Balbi, Francisco Carlos Balbi, Aline Balbi Leca, Dr. Gabriel Sanchez, Dr. Mark Cukierman, Dr. Marcia Sills, Dr. Michael Fronstin, Dr. Adeline Essian, and Dr. Khanh Van Kim Duong were criminally charged as a result of the investigation which took place over a three year period. During the investigation undercover agents visited the clinic posing as patients. On multiple occasions the officers were prescribed controlled substances although there were no pathologies supporting a legitimate medical need. Law Enforcement received a total of 55 prescriptions for controlled substances which included 2,968 dosage units of oxycodone.
This investigation was conducted by the DEA Miami Tactical Diversion (TDS) and BSO Deerfield Beach Crime Suppression Team. The DEA Miami TDS is comprised of the DEA, BSO, Miami-Dade PD, Hollywood PD, Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, City of Sunrise PD, Florida Highway Patrol, Ft. Lauderdale Police Department and the City of Miami PD.
Mr. Trouville commends the prosecution efforts of the Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution.
