Authorities Shut Down Suspected Pill Mill

A 20-month long investigation has led to the emergency closure of a suspected pill mill in Palm Harbor.

Detectives with a special task force shut down Whitney Enterprises located at 1440 Alt. 19 when they served the business with an emergency suspension order around 11 a.m. Wednesday.

According to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, which participated in the joint task force, the closure was based on the results of  the investigation which found that Whitney Enterprises may be a pill mill for dealing prescription pain medications.

"This joint operation with DOH and our Task Force is another part of the Sheriff's Office continued effort and commitment to bring an end to Pill Mills which have preyed on our community for too long. 

The result of these clinics has been an epidemic of overdose related deaths, and many citizens of all social and economic backgrounds have become addicted to prescription drugs. The goal in shutting down these drug dealers is to save lives," said Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri.

The suspension order issued by the State of Florida Department of Health says that Lance Whitney is the owner of Whitney Enterprises, a registered pain management clinic in Florida. The order says that Whitney does not have any medical licenses in Florida. A quick check of jail records finds that the 26 year-old was arrested in Tampa by Hillsborough County Deputies in 2006 for possession of marijuana 

The suspension order goes on to state, "Mr. Whitney has consistently employed physicians who, while practicing at Whitney Enterprises have treated multiple patients with inappropriate or excessive quantities of controlled substances without medical justification for doing so."

The document lists Dr. David Sassano and Dr. Sanjeev Grover as licensed physicians who were employed by Whitney Enterprises. The suspension order says Sassano and Grover prescribed potentially lethal doses of oxycodone and/or inappropriately prescribed benzodiazepines to five unnamed patients. The 32-page document also says patients were prescribed drugs like oxycodone and valium without ever seeing a doctor.

Detectives with the Countywide Diversion Task Force worked with an investigator from the Florida Dept. of Health in the investigation. The agencies participating in the Countywide Diversion Task Force include-

• Pinellas Sheriff's Office
• Dept. of Health
• St. Petersburg Police Dept.
• Clearwater Police Dept.