Brevard County Doctor Sentenced To Over Nineteen Years For Illegally Distributing Oxycodone

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza today sentenced John M. Gayden, Jr. (64,West Melbourne) to 19 years and 7 months in federal prison for dispensing oxycodone outside the usual course of professional practice and for no legitimate medical reason. A federal jury found Gayden guilty on June 22, 2018.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial and sentencing, between 2009, and continuing through 2011, Gayden ran a cash-only pain management clinic in Indialantic, Florida. He charged $200-$400 per visit for appointment, during which patients received prescriptions for high doses of oxycodone with little to no medical evaluation. Gayden issued these prescriptions bi-monthly or monthly for years, without consulting with the patients about their health or properly verifying these patients’ needs for long-term high dosage oxycodone. Patients traveled from other counties and lined up outside Gayden’s office in the early mornings to receive the prescriptions. Many of the individuals who received the prescriptions then abused the oxycodone themselves or sold the pills.    

This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Melbourne Police Department, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Health. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vincent S. Chiu.