Bridgeville Suboxone Clinic Operators Charged with Unlawful Distribution of Controlled Substances and Health Care Fraud

PITTSBURGH - Two Pittsburgh-area residents have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of unlawfully distributing controlled substances and health care fraud, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.

The 39-count indictment, returned on October 18 and unsealed today, named Mark R. Foster, 70, of Wexford, Pennsylvania and Terri C. Brown, 53, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Foster and Brown were arrested this morning at their respective residences.

According to indictment, Brown owned and operated Cherry Way, a Suboxone clinic, located in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania, and Foster was a medical director at Cherry Way. The indictment alleges that Brown and Foster conspired together to create and submit unlawful prescriptions for Suboxone, Adderall and Percocet, and then unlawfully dispensed those controlled substances to Brown and to other persons not specifically named in the Indictment. Brown is also charged with health care fraud for allegedly submitting fraudulent claims to Highmark and Medicaid, through Cherry Way, for payments to cover the costs of the unlawfully prescribed Suboxone, Adderall and Percocet.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 60 years in prison, a fine of $3,250,000, or both, for the controlled substances offenses. Brown faces an additional maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and fines of $500,000 for the health care fraud charges. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.