HOUSTON – Three Houston-area clinics were ordered to be shut down by the district attorney after felony indictments were handed down.
The clinics shut down are the Preferred Wellness Center in the 2500 block of West Mount Houston, the Wellness and Weight Loss Clinic in the 316 block of West Little York and the North Houston Medical Clinic Family Practice in the 12000 block of the North Freeway.
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Officials with the Harris County District Attorney's office said after an undercover investigation, they discovered the clinics had an ongoing pattern of prescribing pain medication and controlled substances without following medical practice guidelines.
"We are attacking the problem of pill mills at the source. The illegal clinics where people are prescribed pain medications and other controlled substances without demonstrating a need for them," said Harris County District Attorney Pat Lykos.
Recently, several indictments were also handed down against clinic doctors, physician assistants and civilians. The people named in those indictments are: Dr. Dennis Rainey, 53, for operating a pain clinic without a license; Dr. Willie Hawkins, 57, for practicing medicine in violation of the Medical Practices Act; Physician Assistant Michael Dome, 58, for fraudulent delivery of a controlled substance and practicing medicine in violation of the Medical Practice Act; Dr. Rosabar Fuentes, 54, for operating a pain clinic without a license; Physician's Assistant Larry Don Wilson, 66, for fraudulent delivery of a controlled substance and practicing medicine in violation of the Medical Practices Act; Gilivada Flores, 25, for operating a pain clinic without a license; Angelia Thomas, 52, for operating a pain clinic without a license; and Dr. Ben Echols, 62, for operating a pain clinic without a license and fraudulent delivery of a controlled substance.
Officials said the clinics were closed pending a complete investigation by law enforcement.