Doctor Allegedly Prescribed Opioids For Dead And Incarcerated People In “pill Mill” Operation; Doctor And Seven Others Arrested And Charged
Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Https

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

United States Drug Enforcement Administration

  • Get Updates
  • Scam Alert
  • Full Menu
  • English
  • Español

Main Menu

Explore DEA
  • Who We Are
    • About
    • Mission
    • History
    • Divisions
    • DEA Museum
    • Wall of Honor
    • Contact Us
  • What We Do
    • Forensic Sciences
    • Law Enforcement
    • Education and Prevention
    • Drug Information
    • News
    • Campaigns
  • Careers
    • Special Agent
    • Diversion Investigator
    • Intelligence Research Specialist
    • Forensic Sciences Careers
    • Professional & Administrative Careers
    • Student & Entry Level Careers
    • Employment Eligibility
    • How to Apply
  • Resources
    • Illegal Online Pharmacies
    • OD Justice
    • Fentanyl Supply Chain
    • Pill Press Resources
    • Recovery Resources
    • Together for Families
    • Data and Statistics
    • FOIA
    • Publications
    • Media Galleries
    • Victim Witness Assistance Program
  • Submit A Tip

Breadcrumb

  • Home
  • Doctor Allegedly Prescribed Opioids For Dead And Incarcerated People In “pill Mill” Operation; Doctor And Seven Others Arrested And Charged

Doctor Allegedly Prescribed Opioids For Dead And Incarcerated People In “pill Mill” Operation; Doctor And Seven Others Arrested And Charged

March 13, 2018
|
Share Article
|
Download Press Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Kelly McKay
Phone Number: (571) 324-6204

SAN DIEGO - Egisto Salerno, a medical doctor, who owns and operates a medical office on El Cajon Boulevard in San Diego, and seven others have been arrested on federal charges stemming from their alleged roles in a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute hydrocodone as part of a ‘pill mill’ operation.

Special agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration arrested Dr. Egisto Salerno, 73, of San Diego; Stephen Toney, 57, of San Diego; April Cervantes, 27, of San Diego; David Apple, 25, of Chula Vista; Amber Horne, 28, of El Cajon; Lonnell Ligon, 55, of San Diego; Shalina Latson, 47, of San Diego; and LaJuan Smith, 38, of San Diego.  Each is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance.

The complaint alleges that, beginning not later than November 2014, defendant Stephen Toney and others recruited individuals, often homeless or of limited means, to pose as “patients” at the office of Salerno to obtain hydrocodone prescriptions.  Salerno, who received an office visit fee for each “patient,” performed a cursory or no physical examination and prescribed the hydrocodone despite the lack of any legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of professional practice.  The “patients” were paid for turning over their hydrocodone tablets to defendants. The defendant recruiters arranged transportation of these “patients” to Salerno’s office, to a pharmacy to pick up the hydrocodone, and then returned them to or near homeless shelters or their residences.  Toney and other co-conspirators intended to further distribute these hydrocodone tablets.

Salerno is alleged to have prescribed hydrocodone for, among others, dead “patients” and “patients” who were in jail and who could not, therefore, have been in Salerno’s office when they were allegedly examined by Salerno and hydrocodone was prescribed in their names.  For example, one patient died in October 2015 and Salerno allegedly saw that patient and prescribed hydrocodone in that patient’s name five times after death, including two prescriptions written more than a year after the death. 

According to the charging documents, Salerno and two of his medical assistants allegedly falsified chart notes and medical records to justify these hydrocodone prescriptions and further the conspiracy.  In one instance, the medical chart for an undercover agent who visited the clinic was seized by agents during execution of a search warrant. That chart included a set of medical examination notes in Salerno’s handwriting and signed by him purporting to document a visit that never occurred.  The charging documents allege that hydrocodone was prescribed on that date in the name of the undercover agent and the tablets were picked up from the pharmacy by defendant Stephen Toney.

Hydrocodone is the generic name for a narcotic analgesic that is sold under a variety of brand names such as Vicodin, Norco and Lortab. When legally supplied by a licensed practitioner for a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of professional practice, hydrocodone is used to combat moderate pain.  It is a Schedule II controlled (narcotic) that is widely abused and it is frequently diverted from legitimate medical channels and distributed illicitly on the street for profit and abuse.

“Patients trust their doctors to give them the best care possible,” said DEA San Diego Acting Special Agent in Charge Steve Woodland.  “It’s DEA’s responsibility to ensure that DEA registrants are worthy of that trust.  DEA will keep conducting these investigations to ensure that registrants are following all the rules when prescribing these potentially deadly drugs.”

Anyone with information about opioid abuse/diversion or other drug diversion should report that to the Drug Enforcement Administration at https://apps.deadiversion.usdoj.gov or contact the DEA hotline at 1-877-RX-(1-877-792-2873).  

Agencies involved are Internal Revenue Service, Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, California Department of Health Care Services, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, California Department of Justice and the San Diego Police Department.

Download Press Release
###
US Department of Justice - Drug Enforcement Administration

Drug Enforcement Administration

Brian M. Clark Special Agent in Charge - San Diego
@DEASanDiegoDiv
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Email
  • Who We Are
    • About
    • Domestic Divisions
    • Foreign Offices
    • Contact Us
    • DEA Museum
  • What We Do
    • Forensic Sciences
    • Law Enforcement
    • Drug Prevention
    • Diversion Control Division
    • News
  • Careers
    • Special Agent
    • Diversion Investigator
    • Forensic Sciences
    • Intelligence Research Specialist
    • How to Apply
  • Resources
    • Drug Information
    • Employee Assistance Program
    • FOIA
    • Publications
    • Media Galleries
    • VWAP
  • Doing Business
    with the DEA
    • Overview
    • Current Vendors
    • Prospective Vendors
    • Security Clauses
    • Security Forms
    • Small Business Program
    • Vendor Engagement Request
  • Policies
    • Accessibility & Policy
    • Legal Policies & Disclaimers
    • No FEAR Act
    • Privacy Policy
    • U.S. Department of Justice EEO Policy
    • USA.gov
    • Whistleblower Protection
    • Your Rights as a Federal Employee

United States Drug Enforcement Administration

DEA.gov is an official site of the U.S. Department of Justice
Facebook X LinkedIn Instagram

DEA Contact Center

(202) 307-1000 info@dea.gov
Contact the Webmaster

United States Drug Enforcement Administration

Back
  • Who We Are
  • What We Do
  • Careers
  • Resources
Back
  • About
  • Mission
  • History
  • Divisions
  • DEA Museum
  • Wall of Honor
  • Contact Us
Back
  • Domestic Divisions
  • Foreign Divisions
  • Operational Divisions
Back
  • Submit a Tip
  • Extortion Scam
  • Public Affairs
  • Social Media Directory
Back
  • Forensic Sciences
  • Law Enforcement
  • Education and Prevention
  • Drug Information
  • News
  • Campaigns
Back
  • GUARDS
  • Forensic Sciences Policy
  • Forensic Science Organizations
  • Forensic Science Contact
Back
  • DEA Office of Training
  • El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC)
  • Intelligence
  • Operations
Back
  • Office of Training Programs
Back
  • Administrative Law Judges
  • DEA Asset Forfeiture
  • Domestic Cannabis Suppression / Eradication Program
  • HIDTA
  • OCDETF
Back
  • Family Summit
  • Red Ribbon
  • Kiki and the History of Red Ribbon Week
  • Red Ribbon Toolkit - Resources For Your Community
  • DEA’s Family Summit
  • Operation Engage
  • Community Outreach
  • Just Think Twice
  • Campus Drug Prevention
  • Get Smart About Drugs
  • Operation Prevention
Back
  • Drug Policy
  • Drug Scheduling
  • The Controlled Substances Act
Back
  • Alerts
  • Press Releases
  • Most Wanted Fugitives
  • Stories
  • Events
  • Speeches
  • Testimony
Back
  • All Fugitives
Back
  • One Pill Can Kill
  • DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
Back
  • Senior Citizens
  • Partner Toolbox
  • Social Media Campaign
Back
  • Special Agent
  • Diversion Investigator
  • Intelligence Research Specialist
  • Forensic Sciences Careers
  • Professional & Administrative Careers
  • Student & Entry Level Careers
  • Employment Eligibility
  • How to Apply
Back
  • Special Agent FAQs
Back
  • Diversion Investigator Job Announcement
Back
  • Intelligence Research Specialist Job Announcements
  • Intelligence Research Specialists FAQs
  • Schedule A Hiring Authority: Intelligence Research Specialist
Back
  • How To Claim Veterans' Preference
  • Priority Consideration
  • Benefits
  • Veterans and People With Disabilities
  • Operation Warfighter
Back
  • Illegal Online Pharmacies
  • OD Justice
  • Fentanyl Supply Chain
  • Pill Press Resources
  • Recovery Resources
  • Together for Families
  • Data and Statistics
  • FOIA
  • Publications
  • Media Galleries
  • Victim Witness Assistance Program
Back
  • Domestic Arrests
  • Staffing and Budget
Back
  • About FOIA
  • Contact DEA FOIA
  • Make a Request
  • What Happens After Making a Request
  • Requester Categories
  • Fees Charged
  • Fee Waiver
  • FOIA FAQ
  • FOIA Logs and Reports
  • FOIA Library
  • Additional FOIA Links
  • FOIA Exemptions
  • What Are Exclusions?
  • Privacy Act
  • Privacy Act Exemptions
  • Privacy Impact Assessment and Management Information Systems
Back
  • Victim Witness Assistance Program Resources
  • Human Trafficking Prevention
  • Submit A Tip +
  • Get Updates
  • Scam Alert
    • English
    • Español