The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in July that drug overdose deaths rose by 30 percent across the country in 2020, setting a new national record. Of the more than 93,000 drug overdose deaths in the U.S., nearly 7,600 came from Florida, according to provisional data released by theContinue Reading
Kimberly Fleer (27, Seffner) has pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl to an individual, causing that individual’s death. Fleer faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years, and up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. According to the plea agreement, on November 2, 2019,Continue Reading
The unintended consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic mitigation efforts, like closing businesses, stay-at-home order and other forms of lockdowns, made by governments and public health officials are mounting. Earlier this week, new research by public health experts at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) demonstrated thatContinue Reading
This week, Ernest Gonzalez (68, Tampa), the president and owner of Health and Pain Center (HPC), a pain management clinic, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison and Rosa Colon (30, Tampa) to 24 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and dispense controlled substances for no legitimateContinue Reading
U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Jeffrey Saylor (48, St. Petersburg) to 30 months in federal prison for the unlawful distribution of a controlled substance. Saylor had pleaded guilty on February 11, 2020. According to court documents, Saylor acquired oxycodone prescriptions at a local pain management clinic, filledContinue Reading
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida announced the indictment of a two people from Clearwater, Courtney Marie Michaelis and Nicholas Andrew Ham, with the illegal distribution of fentanyl. Michaelis, 37, and Ham, 21, have been charged with distributing fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury to anContinue Reading
The U.S. Department of Justice filed an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in support of a Catholic foster care agency because it refuses to compromise its religious beliefs by placing children with same-sex couples. The Supreme Court agreed to review Sharonell Fulton, et al. v. City of Philadelphia and oral argument is expectedContinue Reading
A national panel of health experts is for the first time recommending that clinicians screen all adults for unhealthy drug use. From the abstract, under Importance: An estimated 12% of adults 18 years or older and 8% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 years report unhealthy use of prescription orContinue Reading
This week, the Florida Department of Health (DOH) announced the allocation of $6.6 million from the Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) Grant to 14 Counties to assist local communities in the fight against all-drug overdose and opioid abuse. The Department’s receipt of the $58.8 million OD2A grant was first announced on OctoberContinue Reading
