Three Madison County doctors are facing federal charges in an illegal prescription opioid takedown.
More than 320 million prescription pills where allegedly involved in the investigation spanning five states. Eight Alabama medical professionals face charges.
Marshall Plotka of Phoenix Emergency Care, Celia Lloyd-Turney of Choice Medicine Clinic, and John Cimino with Center for Women’s Healthcare all face federal charges.
Plotka is accused of having relations with prostitutes and giving them money to buy and use drugs in his home. Court documents show text messages from him about buying drugs and show emergency services responded to his home multiple times for overdoses.
Lloyd-Turney is indicted for allegedly prescribing excessive amounts of drugs and signing blank prescription forms. Cimino is facing charges for alleged health care fraud.
Officials at a local recovery clinic now expect to see more people.
“We are actually really happy to see law enforcement cracking down on people that are doing illegal things and over prescribing medication,” said Clete Wetli with Huntsville Recovery. “However we really want to see more efforts in the community on treatment and prevention.”
Families affected by addiction hope the investigation encourages opioid education.
“They need to understand how highly addicted opioids are and that it can show up within three to five days, an addiction,” said Laurie Roberts with Not One More Alabama.
Choice Medicine Clinic officials believe Lloyd-Turney is innocent. They told WZDX News in a statement: “Physicians are rarely allowed to discuss their side of high profile cases and this leads to ‘the court of public opinion’ ruling far earlier than the facts are provided.”
A doctor and her husband in Hoover are also facing charges. Learn more about the other investigations here.
