Podiatrist From St. Pete Arrested in 'Operation Doctor, Doctor' Drug Sting

ST. PETERSBURG - A podiatrist from St. Petersburg was arrested Monday in a drug sting for writing and filling prescriptions for hundreds of addictive painkillers and other narcotic drugs.

Podiatrist Brian K. Hameroff, 43, of 175 2nd St., St. Petersburg, and dentist Kevin M. O'Callaghan, 49, of Largo face third degree felony charges in the prescription drug sting, dubbed "Operation Doctor, Doctor."

Both men have health-care practices in Seminole, where the arrests were made Monday following a search warrant that was served at their offices.

Detectives allege that the men were writing prescriptions to each other for as many as 200 pills a month for narcotic medications that include Hydrocodone, Lorazepam and Oxycodone. Detectives believe the pills were for the personal use of the physicians.

The doctors filled the prescriptions sporadically at different pharmacies
each month, detectives allege. The doctors paid cash for all of the prescription narcotics. The prescriptions averaged a total of about 160 to 200 pills a month for three year, investigators said.

The arrests were made following a four-month undercover operation that was launched after a tip was received by the sheriff's office.

Detectives say the following is a preliminary breakdown of the prescriptions
and pills received by each doctor:

• Hameroff received 91 separate prescriptions for 840 Hydrocone pills, 660 Lorazepam pills and 1,960 Oxycodone pills.
• O'Callaghan received a total of 120 separate prescriptions for 480 Hydrocodone pills, 1,230 Lorazepam pills and 2,620 Oxycodone pills.

Both doctors have been arrested for 15 counts each of employing a scheme to
assist another person to obtain a controlled substance, which is a third degree felony. The doctors were transported from their respective practices to the Pinellas
County Jail.

Anyone with additional information that may assists detectives in this
investigation is asked to contact the Sheriff's Countywide Strategic Diversion
Task Force at 727-582-6200.