Auburn, Ala. -- A federal grand jury indicted a professional counselor following her involvement in an illegal prescription drug scandal in Montgomery.
United States Attorney Louis V. Franklin Sr, announced that Johnnie Chaisson Sanders, a mental health counselor from Wetumpka, was arrested following a scandal involving an illegal prescription drug ring. Sanders has been indicted with charges of health care fraud and perjury offenses.
In what investigators call the “Pill Mill,” several former employees of “Family Practice” on Atlanta Highway in Montgomery face convictions for prescribing unnecessary drugs to patients and billing insurance companies for more than what their services required.
According to a statement released by the Department of Justice, Dr. Gilberto Sanchez, the owner of the practice pleaded guilty to drug distribution, health care fraud and money laundering charges in November 2017.
Four other health care providers employed by the practice have also pleaded guilty to federal charges.
The indictment accuses Sanders of health care fraud and perjury. Sanders is alleged to have provided inaccurate diagnoses of mental health conditions to aid Sanchez in prescribing drugs along with collecting cash payments from patients with knowledge that the practice was going to bill the patients’ insurance companies for the same service as well.
During a testimony before a grand jury, Sanders allegedly claimed that Sanchez did not require patients to undergo counseling sessions with her. However, Sanchez required patients whom he prescribed drugs to visit Sanders for a counseling session.
If found guilty, Sanders possibly faces up to 10 years in prison for health care fraud charges with another maximum sentence of 5 years for perjury. Sanders also faces substantial fines and financial penalties.
