A Florida man who owned a chain of pain clinics in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Jacksonville Orlando and Lakeland has pled guilty to federal drug charges revolving around the illegal distribution of prescription painkillers. Troy Wubbena operated pain clinics all over Florida with Dr. Jeffery Friedlander. The doctor has already pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute drugs including oxycodone. Wubbena is expected to plead guilty to the same charges next week according to the Tampa Tribune.
The clinics that Wubbena owned and operated with Friedlander were part of a significant operation illegally distributing painkillers and drugs according to authorities. The clinics have been shut down and according to the story thousands of pain killers were illegally sold to addicts and even high school students. Wubbena kept track of sales and directed them for the pain clinics. He kept records on note cards.
The main drug the clinic dealt with was oxycodone. The operation was based on blank prescription forms that were signed by Dr. Friedlander and then filled out by clinic employees and Wubbena. The 44-year-old has apparently admitted to using the pre-signed forms. They were filled out in the names of patients, filled at pharmacies and then sold. Wubbena allegedly admitted to acquiring more than 15,000 oxycodone pills using this method in a span of over two-years.
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputies were involved in the operation to shut down the pain clinic as they went undercover. The charges for illegally distributing prescription drugs aren’t the only ones the pair will face. There are also Medicare fraud charges that they defendants will face. Firedlander is expected to be sentenced in August. Wubbena is facing up to 20 years in prison on his charges when he is sentenced.