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Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that James Long (44, Brevard County) today pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
According to the plea agreement, between 2010 and June 2013, Long and others used the Professional Pain Center located at 860 East State Road 434 in Longwood to conspire and to cause the distribution and dispensation of controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice and for no legitimate medical purpose.
Long, as president and owner of the clinic, employed approximately 10 physicians who were willing to write unlawful and invalid prescriptions for Schedule II and Schedule III controlled substances. Long admitted that doctors working for his clinic engaged in a repeated pattern of issuing prescriptions for controlled substances without a legitimate medical reason, outside the usual course of professional practice. According to the plea agreement, any reasonably prudent physician would not issue such prescriptions for controlled substances in the quantity and combinations prescribed because of the danger of overdose and death coupled with the likelihood of diversion.
Long and his conspirators conducted financial transactions involving the drug proceeds. As a result, Long has agreed to forfeit numerous assets that he obtained directly from or are traceable to the unlawful operation of the clinic.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilianys Rivera Miranda.