Shelby Township Doctor Convicted In Opioid Conspiracy: Feds

SHELBY TOWNSHIP, MI — A federal jury convicted a Shelby Township doctor Thursday for his role in planning to distribute more than 300,000 opioid prescription pills valued at $6.3 million, according to federal officials.

Lawrence Mark Sherman, 74, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to illegally distribute pills such as Oxycodone, Oxymorphone and Percocet, and 19 counts of illegal distribution of Oxycodone. He will be sentenced on April 17. He faces up to 20 years in prison.

Officials said Sherman prescribed the opioids while working at Tranquility Wellness Center (TWC), Inc. in Shelby Township between March 2020 and June 2021. The office first operated out of Dearborn and then later moved to Saint Clair Shores, before settling in Shelby Township, officials said

Sherman was the only doctor at the facility prescribing the pills, including 30 milligrams of Oxycodone, 40 milligrams of Oxymorphone and 10 to 325 milligrams of Percocet, officials said.

The pills are three of the most addictive prescription opioids and among the most highly diverted prescription opioids due to their high street value, officials said.

Sherman's office only accepted cash and charged patients based on the quantity, type and dosage of the opioids, officials said. Officials also said the clinic also charged cash for the creation of fraudulent medical records for the supposed "patients."

Sherman then conspired with other defendants to illegally authorize more than 3,000 opioid prescriptions for supposed "patients" who did not have a legitimate medical need for the drugs, and who were typically brought to the clinic by "patient recruiters/marketers," officials said.

The other defendants charged in the case, including clinic operators Janeice Burrell and Angelo Smith, clinic employees Akeyla Bell and Carmen Gilbreth and Peter Burrell previously pleaded guilty, officials said.

Overall, Sherman issued more than 300,000 dosage units of Schedule II opioid prescriptions that had a street value in excess of $6.3 million, officials said citing trial testimony.

"My office remains committed to doing what it can to hold doctors and other health care professionals accountable when they illegally feed the opioid epidemic by writing illegal opioid prescriptions, rather than helping to address the terrible impact the opioid epidemic has had on our community," U.S. Attorney U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison said. "We will pursue drug dealers whether they are peddling drugs on the street or while wearing white coats in a medical office."