Texarkana, Ark.-based Lonnie Joseph Parker, MD, has been convicted for prescribing opioids without a legitimate medical purpose, the U.S. Justice Department said Oct. 29.
In 2018, the DEA and the Little Rock District Office began an investigation into Dr. Parker after receiving complaints about a suspected pill mill. The investigation found Dr. Parker was over prescribing opioids, benzodiazepines, and promethazine with codeine cough syrup.
In the two year investigation period, Dr. Parker prescribed around 1.2 million dosage units of opioid pain medications to approximately 1,508 patients and around 16 gallons of promethazine with cough syrup to 29 patients.
She was convicted on two counts of distributing a Schedule II controlled substance without an effective prescription and two counts of distribution of a Schedule V controlled substance without an effective prescription. Dr. Parker faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.