Pace pharmacists busted for pill mill scheme
According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), the drugs trafficked include over 22 kilograms (48 pounds) of oxycodone, over 26 kilograms (57 pounds) of hydrocodone, and just shy of one kilogram of hydromorphone. The Burklows are the owners of Pace Pharmacy LLC.
“In our communities, there is no room for criminals that greedily profit from the opioid epidemic by trafficking illicit drugs under the guise of a legitimate pharmacy,” said FDLE Pensacola Special Agent in Charge Chris Williams. “I am proud of the complex and dedicated work demonstrated by FDLE’s agents, crime intelligence analysts and forensic scientists, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office investigators, and the work of all of our partners to get these thugs off our streets.”
The arrests are the result of a multi-year, multi-agency investigation led by FDLE with assistance from the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Health, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Florida Department of Financial Services, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
“These arrests are a result of excellent teamwork between law enforcement agencies,” said Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson. “This sends a clear message that no one is above the law, not even those entrusted with our community’s health. The illegal distribution of controlled substances puts lives at risk and fuels addiction. We will continue to hold individuals accountable who choose to profit from this type of criminal behavior.”
Stephen Burklow, 54, of Pace, was arrested on conspiracy to traffic oxycodone, conspiracy to traffic hydrocodone, conspiracy to traffic hydromorphone, conspiracy to commit racketeering, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and five counts of identity theft.
Winkles, 69, of Pace, was arrested on conspiracy to traffic schedule II-controlled substances and conspiracy to commit racketeering.
Monique Burklow, 58, of Pace, was arrested on conspiracy to commit racketeering, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to sell controlled substances.
FDLE’s investigation began in December 2020, after learning that a local obstetrician-gynecologist, later identified as Dr. Elaine Sharp, was writing an excessive amount of controlled substance prescriptions and recommending her patients fill the prescriptions at Pace Pharmacy. During this same time, FDLE was working jointly with multiple state, local, and federal agencies to investigate numerous allegations of a pill mill operation in the area.
Agents say the Burklows and Winkles accepted and dispensed illicit prescriptions (including oxycodone, hydromorphone, and hydrocodone) outside the course of professional practice and not intended for medical purposes or need. Additionally, Mr. Burklow, through the Pace Pharmacy, billed multiple insurance companies, using various physicians’ National Provider Identifier (NPI) numbers without their knowledge or consent to do so, for prescriptions that may or may not have been provided to patients.
The trio was arrested without incident and booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail. The cases will be prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney, First Judicial Circuit.
The investigation remains active.