Sharp, 72, was arrested by Escambia County deputies around 1 p.m. Thursday on a Florida Department Law Enforcement warrant for these charges:
- murder
- manslaughter
- conspiracy to commit racketeering
- unlawfully prescribing for monetary gain
- unlawfully prescribing not medically necessary
- conspiracy-trafficking oxycodone 100 grams or more
- conspiracy-trafficking hydromorphone 28 grams or more
- conspiracy-trafficking hydrocodone 100 grams or more
- money laundering
FDLE, which started its investigation in February 2021 after agents received complaints from several local pharmacists regarding the large amounts of oxycodone being prescribed, says Sharp ran a pill mill out of her physician’s office.
“Several patients overdosed after taking drugs prescribed by her,” FDLE says in a release.
Ten people were also arrested Thursday afternoon as part of FDLE’s case against Sharp. FDLE says they sold drugs prescribed by Sharp, adding that most were prescribed 120 oxycodone pills a month with no legitimate medical need.
The suspects are:
39-year-old Shanna Castleberry of Navarre
- conspiracy to commit racketeering
- conspiracy-trafficking hydromorphone oxycodone 100 grams or more
- conspiracy to obtain controlled substance not medically necessary
60-year-old Gary Eckard of Pace
- conspiracy to commit racketeering
- conspiracy-trafficking oxycodone 100 grams or more
- conspiracy to obtain controlled substance not medically necessary
- doctor shopping
43-year-old Jessica Michael of Navarre
- conspiracy to commit racketeering
- conspiracy-trafficking oxycodone 100 grams or more
- conspiracy-trafficking hydromorphone 14 grams or more
- conspiracy to obtain controlled substance not medically necessary
63-year-old Cheryl Tassin of Milton
- conspiracy to commit racketeering
- conspiracy-trafficking oxycodone 100 grams or more
- conspiracy to obtain controlled substance not medically necessary
58-year-old Tammy Zell of Gulf Breeze
- conspiracy to commit racketeering
- conspiracy-trafficking oxycodone 100 grams or more
- conspiracy to obtain controlled substance not medically necessary
- doctor shopping
37-year-old Kevin McLemore of Pensacola
- conspiracy to commit racketeering
- conspiracy-trafficking oxycodone 100 grams or more
- conspiracy to obtain controlled substance not medically necessary
63-year-old Mark Heath of Pensacola
- conspiracy to commit racketeering
- healthcare kickback
48-year-old Jenni Harrell of Pensacola
- conspiracy to commit racketeering
- conspiracy-trafficking oxycodone 100 grams or more
- conspiracy to obtain controlled substance not medically necessary
32-year-old Kristopher Desposito of Pensacola
- conspiracy to commit racketeering
- conspiracy-trafficking oxycodone 100 grams or more
- conspiracy to obtain controlled substance not medically necessary
54-year-old Shawn Winchester of Pensacola
- conspiracy to commit racketeering
- conspiracy-trafficking oxycodone 100 grams or more
- conspiracy to obtain controlled substance not medically necessary
Additionally, suspect 53-year-old Mickey Bowman is still at large. She’s wanted on these charges:conspiracy to commit racketeering, conspiracy-trafficking oxycodone 100 grams or more, conspiracy to obtain controlled substance not medically necessary.
“Shutting down this pill mill unquestionably made our community safer,”FDLE Pensacola Special Agent in Charge Chris Williams said in a release on Friday. “We know this drug ring, led by Dr. Elaine Sharp, was a major contributor of illegal drugs flowing into our neighborhoods and even attracting drug dealers from throughout the Southeast looking for an easy way to obtain these drugs.”
Sharp is being held in Escambia County Jail without bond awaiting extradition to Santa Rosa County Jail.
Read more about the years-long investigation into Sharp here.