Former Georgia Medical Examiner and seven others federally indicted for opioid distribution

ATLANTA – Dr. Joseph L. Burton, a former county medical examiner and forensic pathologist, has been indicted along with seven other individuals by a federal grand jury on charges of illegal distribution of opioid painkillers and other drugs as part of Operation SCOPE (Strategically Combatting Opioids through Prosecution and Enforcement).  Multiple individuals have also been arrested on charges related to the unlawful distribution of opioids prescribed by Burton.      

“Burton traded away his responsibility as a licensed doctor and respected pathologist by allegedly writing unnecessary prescriptions in exchange for sex and romantic companionship,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak.  “His associates sought to profit by having those prescriptions filled, and then selling those drugs which included opioid painkillers like oxycodone.  The DEA and local law enforcement have halted this unlawful distribution of opioids into our community, and we are committed to prosecuting those who sought to profit.” 

“When powerful and addictive opioids are illegally prescribed or distributed, they can become weapons of mass destruction,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. Many of these dangerous substances are the catalyst behind the current opiate crises that this country is now experiencing. DEA, its many law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s office are firmly committed to extricating such criminals like Dr. Burton from perpetuating the vicious cycle of opioid addiction.”

According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the indictment, and other information presented in court: Joseph Burton, a licensed physician, operated as a consulting pathologist, meaning that he determined the medical causes of diseases and death.  Federal agents began investigating him after the Georgia Drug & Narcotics Agency visited Burton in early 2017 and discovered that he was prescribing painkillers to a large number of patients despite not operating a medical clinic or regularly seeing patients.  Over a roughly two-year period beginning in July 2015, Dr. Burton allegedly issued over 1,100 opioid prescriptions, which amounted to over 108,000 individuals doses, including over 66,000 30mg oxycodone pills.  The indictment alleges that Burton prescribed opioids such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and methadone, irrespective of any legitimate medical purpose and outside the normal course of professional practice, in exchange for sexual favors and romantic affection. 

For example, Burton prescribed opioids to individuals without thoroughly examining them, and on occasion, without ever meeting them at all.  Codefendants Jennifer Hunter, Rhonda Haugland, and Tiffany Willis each engaged in a romantic relationship with Burton in exchange for prescriptions in their names as well as the names of others.  As part of the conspiracy, Hunter, Haugland, and Willis would fill their prescriptions and sell the pills, and then obtain more prescriptions from Burton for other people, who paid them for getting the prescriptions.        

Burton and the seven other individuals are charged in the federal indictment with conspiring to distribute and dispense controlled substances—outside of the normal course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose—from July 2015 to February 2018.  Burton is also charged with ten individual counts of illegal drug distribution for specific prescriptions.  Six of Burton’s alleged conspirators were also charged in several of these counts.  Burton was previously arrested on October 11, 2017, on a federal criminal complaint and indicted on a narrower set of charges. 

The following individuals are charged in this superseding indictment: 

• Joseph Lawson Burton, 76, of Milton, Georgia,
• Jennifer Hunter, 29, of Acworth, Georgia,
• Tiffany Willis, 26, of Cartersville, Georgia,
• Rhonda Haugland, 59, of Flowery Branch, Georgia,
• Michelle Danner, 45, of Acworth, Georgia,
• Cheryl Truelove, 50, of Hiram, Georgia,
• Jerry Stephens, Jr., 29, of Cartersville, Georgia, and

Rodney Kennedy, 63, of Cartersville, Georgia.
 
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges.  The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
 
This case is being investigated by the DEA.  The case is part of a coordinated effort with the Acworth Police Department, Barrow County Sheriff’s Office, Bartow County District Attorney’s Office, Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, Cartersville Police Department, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee County District Attorney’s Office, Clayton County Police Department, Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, Cobb County District Attorney’s Office, Cobb County Police Department, Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, Floyd County District Attorney’s Office, Floyd County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia Department of Community Supervision, Georgia Composite Medical Board, Georgia Drugs and Narcotics Agency, Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office, Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Jonesboro Police Department, Oakwood Police Department, Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rome Police Department.     
 
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. DeGenova and C. Brock Brockington are prosecuting the case.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.  Citizens can also contact the Georgia Crisis and Access Line at 1-800-715-4225.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga