Acting United States Attorney E. Bryan Wilson, Northern District of Florida, announced today the sentencings of the manager of Global Pensacola Pain Management, Controlled Pain Management, LLC, and Pain Management Clinic, Mark E. Artigues, 46, New Orleans, Louisiana, and three licensed physicians who prescribed to patients through the clinics: Dr. Geraldo Klug, 64, Waycross, Georgia, Dr. Rogelio T. Martinez, 67, Pensacola, Florida, and Dr. sler F. Rivas, 61, Jacksonville, Florida.

On March 12, 2009, United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers sentenced Dr. Klug to 30 onths imprisonment, two years of supervised release, a $10,000 fine, and a $200 special monetary assessment.

On April 1, 2009, Judge Rodgers sentenced Dr. Martinez to 72 months imprisonment, three ears of supervised release, a $10,000 fine, and a $100 special monetary assessment. Dr. Martinez was ordered to forfeit $56,294. Judge Rodgers sentenced Mr. Artigues to 240 months imprisonment, three years of supervised release, a $3,000 fine, and a $300 special monetary assessment.

Yesterday, Judge Rodgers sentenced Dr. Rivas to 72 months imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special monetary assessment. Dr. Rivas was ordered to forfeit
$116,500.

Evidence admitted during the plea hearings of Mr. Artigues, Dr. Martinez and Dr. Rivas and during the week-long trial of Dr. Klug showed that Dr. Klug, Dr. Martinez, and Dr. Rivas were all physicians licensed to practice by the State of Florida, each of whom possessed a Drug Enforcement Administration registration number that authorized them to prescribe controlled substances.

Mr. Artigues managed a succession of pain management clinics at the same location on Navy Boulevard.

Dr. Klug was employed by Artigues as a prescribing physician at “Controlled Pain Management, LLC.” Dr. Martinez was employed by Artigues as a prescribing physician at a successor business,
“Chronic Pain Management Clinic, LLC.” Dr. Rivas was employed by Artigues as a prescribing physician at “Chronic Pain Management Clinic, LLC” and at a successor business, “Controlled Pain Management, LLC.” From at least April 1, 2005 through December 31, 2006, Artigues, Klug,

Martinez and Rivas purported to provide “pain management” treatment for chronic pain patients through the clinic, when, in truth and fact, they did not operate a legitimate medical practice but instead engaged in a conspiracy to unlawfully dispense controlled pain medications including Oxycontin, Dilaudid, Roxicodone, Oxycodone, Lortab, Methadone, and others in exchange for cash office visit fees.

During the same period of time, the defendants participated in a money laundering conspiracy, wherein Artigues, Klug, Martinez and Rivas engaged in financial transactions designed in whole or in part to promote the carrying on of their conspiracy to unlawfully dispense controlled substances. Artigues was also convicted of possessing and using and carrying a firearm in furtherance of the controlled substances conspiracy.

The convictions and sentences resulted from a multi-year Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation named “Doc-in-a-Box,” investigated by agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, and Florida Department of Law Enforcement, together with deputies of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Randall J. (Randy) Hensel and Assistant United States Attorney Edwin F. (Ed) Knight.