Second Of Three Charged In Oxycodone Distribution Conspiracy Sentenced To Serve Over Six Years In Federal Prison

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. - On July 27, 2016, Rocky Wayne Hendrix, 48, of Johnson City, Tenn., was sentenced to serve 78 months in federal prison for conspiring to unlawfully distribute and dispense oxycodone.

Hendrix pleaded guilty in February 2016 to conspiring with Sherry L. Barnett, who was a licensed nurse practitioner, Robert Randal Stanton II, and others, to unlawfully distribute oxycodone from October 2011 through August 2014. Barnett owned and operated Resolutions HealthCare, PLLC in Johnson City, Tenn., from which she issued unlawful prescriptions to Hendrix, Stanton, and other patients without proper medical examinations and for no legitimate medical purpose.  Hendrix recruited friends, family members, and employees at his business, Rocky’s Pizza, to become new patients of Barnett in order to obtain additional unlawful prescriptions.  According to documents on file with the U.S. District Court, during the course of the conspiracy over 60,000 pills were illegally dispensed and distributed.

All three charged in the indictment have now pleaded guilty.  In April 2016, Stanton was sentenced to 60 months in prison.  Barnett is scheduled for the final sentencing on September 28, 2016.

U.S. Attorney Nancy S. Harr praised the hard work of law enforcement in this extensive investigation, stating “Oxycodone is a highly addictive prescription medication, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office takes cases involving its unlawful distribution very seriously.  We will continue to work together with the TBI and other law enforcement agencies to prosecute these types of offenses.”

The investigation was conducted by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Gunn and Donald Wayne Taylor represented the United States.

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