Pubdate: Fri, 13 Jul 2001
Source: Kingsport Times-News (TN)
Copyright: 2001 Kingsport Publishing Corporation
Contact:  http://www.timesnews.net/index.cgi
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1437
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Author: Becky Campbell

KINGSPORT PHARMACIST SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS IN PRISON

BLOUNTVILLE - A judge ruled Friday that former Stone Drive Pharmacy owner 
John Briggs will go to prison for eight of a 20-year prison term for 
multiple counts of unlawfully dispensing a controlled substance.

Briggs, 59, pleaded guilty in February to 16 counts of the Class D felony 
for selling Darvocet, Ultram and Lortab to customers without prescriptions. 
The plea agreement called for a four-year prison sentence for each count, 
with the first five counts running consecutively and the remaining counts 
running concurrently for an effective sentence of 20 years.

The agreement also called for Briggs to sell his business and forfeit half 
the net earnings to the Kingsport Police Department and relinquish his 
pharmacist license.

Briggs' attorney, Wayne Culbertson, told Judge Jerry Beck that his client 
has complied with those conditions and paid $17,170 in fines and court costs.

In ruling that Briggs must serve part of his sentence, Beck said the 
court's problem with the case "is the number of drugs dispensed illegally 
through this drugstore."

Prosecutors alleged that Briggs sold 140,000 pills in more than 1,100 
prescriptions between February 1997 and May 2000.

Beck also noted that Briggs' lack of a criminal record and support from the 
community was favorable. Briggs will have to serve two years, four months 
and 24 days before becoming eligible for parole.

Briggs' wife, Geraldene Briggs, pleaded guilty in February to one count of 
unlawfully dispensing a controlled substance.

In her case, Beck granted judicial diversion for a period of four years.
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