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Stark Co. Doc Guilty on 187 Counts Related to Pill Mill
By: WOUB News Team
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CANTON, Ohio – A physician accused of running a pill mill in Stark County has been found guilty on 187 counts related to the operation.
Frank Lazzerini, who practiced in Jackson Township, prescribed opioids and other drugs without a legitimate medical purpose, according to a press release from the Ohio Board of Pharmacy
Among the charges Lazzerini was found guilty of include involuntary manslaughter, for his role in the death of Jamie Hayhurst; engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, for using his medical office to run a criminal enterprise; several counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs and several major drug offender specifications, for prescribing controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose; several counts of Medicaid fraud and grand theft for seeking inflated Medicaid reimbursements and stealing from Medicaid; and several counts of tampering with records and illegal processing of drug documents.
Lazzerini faces several hundred years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for July 3.
The Stark County Prosecutor’s Office, Jackson Township Police Department, Stark County Sheriff’s Office Metro Narcotics Unit, Ohio Attorney General’s Office, United States Drug Enforcement Administration, and State Medical Board of Ohio all worked on the case.