WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., July 21 (UPI) -- Federal authorities have charged two Florida doctors with being part of a multimillion-dollar pill mill operation blamed for nine deaths.
Drs. Cynthia Cadet, 52, of Parkland and Joseph Castronuovo, 72, of Key Largo played significant roles in the illegal peddling of more than 20 million doses of oxycodone in the past two years to people addicted to the pain killer, federal prosecutors alleged Friday.
The two physicians were indicted Friday and face the possibility of life in prison if convicted, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported.
The newspaper said Cadet and Castronuovo were among 32 people arrested and indicted last year on racketeering, fraud, illegal drug sales and other counts following an investigation authorities dubbed Operation Oxy Alley. Twenty-eight of the defendants have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced.
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An attorney for Cadet, Richard Merlino, told the newspaper he thinks the new charges were brought because she refused to plead guilty to the earlier counts.
"She is not surprised by this. We knew it was coming, and we continue to look forward to the trial," Merlino said.
The new indictment alleges Cadet and Castronuovo would rely on preliminary radiology reports when prescribing large quantities of drugs, with many of their patients coming from other states that have stricter drug dispensation rules.
Cadet is charged with dispensing oxycodone and other controlled substances that resulted in the deaths of seven patients, while Castronuovo is charged in the deaths of two people and with conspiracy to distribute oxycodone to persons under 21, the Sun Sentinel said. They are to be arraigned in West Palm Beach next week.
