Seven Years in Prison: The High Cost of Ignoring Compliance

In August 2024, Dr. Lonnie Joseph Parker, a Texarkana physician, was sentenced to over seven years in federal prison for illegally prescribing controlled substances. A federal jury found him guilty of distributing Schedule II and Schedule V drugs without a legitimate medical purpose. The Department of Justice’s investigation revealed that Dr. Parker had written prescriptions for 1.2 million opioid doses across more than 1,500 patients, and dispensed over 16 gallons of promethazine with codeine syrup.

The case is a stark reminder of the risks physicians face in pain management and controlled substance prescribing. What began as a medical practice ended in a federal conviction, career loss, and imprisonment due to compliance safeguards not being followed.

Before grasping how difficult it is to comply with 21 CFR 1306.04, it’s important to look at how courts and state licensing boards actually define “legitimate medical purpose.” If you assume your pain or SUD clinic is meeting that bar, it may be time to reassess.

Sure Med Compliance offers the only digital health platform that helps prescribers of controlled substances mitigate their criminal, civil and regulatory risk.

Reach out to secure your no-cost, lifetime license, today.