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4, Including Local Physician, Charged With Illegal Pain Med Sales

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: April 6, 2009

TAMPA - A Palmetto doctor and three other people were arrested on federal drug charges today, accused of illegally dispensing pain killers through clinics in Tampa, Sarasota, Lakeland, Orlando and Jacksonville.

Arrested were physician Jeffrey Friedlander, 50; Troy Wubbena, 43, of Tampa; Carl Ehresman, 42, of St. Petersburg; and Sarah Ehresman, 43, of St. Petersburg.

Wubbena is a physician's assistant. Carl Ehresman is an emergency medical technician.

Each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison.

They are charged with conspiring to illegally distribute and dispense oxycodone, morphine, hydrocodone and alprazolam. They are also charged with 12 counts of distributing a controlled substance without valid medical purpose and outside the course of professional practice.

According to prosecutors, the defendants operated Neurology & Pain Center Clinics. They are accused of not verifying a patient's identify or medical complaint, not establishing a true diagnosis or medical history or examination, and not discussing treatment options or risks.

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement seized patient files from the clinics. Patients can contact the federal agency at (727) 449-1133 and the FDLE at (813) 878-73000 for information and instructions on how to obtain a copy of their records.

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