Prosecutors say a doctor who no longer practices medicine in Florida was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison after accusations of exchanging sexual favors and prescriptions.
Following tips from local law enforcement, US drug enforcement officials discovered evidence of Scott Andrew Hollington illegally prescribed by Sawgrass Health, LLC, a mental health and drug treatment clinic that owned in St. Augustine, about 40 miles south of Jacksonville, prosecutors said.
To investigate further, the DEA visited five undercover agents to his clinic to see if Hollington would prescribe them between February and July 2022 without justifiable medical reasons, prosecutors said.
During his five appointments, according to prosecutors, Hollington gave officers 17 prescriptions, including Adderall, benzodiazepines, including barium and Xanax, and suboxone, a drug that helps treat drug withdrawal symptoms.
After the indictment against Hollington’s federal charges, the government shared the testimony of four women at his trial. The prosecutor said “it made it clear that Hollington exchanged, forced or solicited sexual favors for prescription.”
On March 28, Hollington, 59, of St. Augustine, declared Hollington, 59, of St. Augustine, with the illegal distribution of 14 counts of controlled substances and five counts of surveillance justice, according to a news release from the US Lawyer’s Office for the Central District of Florida.
Hollington was represented by a lawyer for Curtis Scott Fallgatry who said in a statement to McClatchy News on March 31 that Hollington was “unfortunately convicted of being convicted of prescribing life-saving drugs for people with addicts (or undercover agents who pretended to be addicted). ”
“These witnesses testified that if they were not legal they would have died from the illegal street drugs they were using.
The Florida Medical Board of Medicine has revoked Hollington’s medical license on May 3, following its conviction in a federal case, with an order dated May 3, state records show.
According to prosecutors, the federal ju judge returned the conviction against Hollington on July 25, 2023.
At his trial, the government presented the testimony of one woman who called Hollington a “monster,” prosecutors said.
According to prosecutors, she said in a written statement that Hollington “exploited her vulnerability but sought help with addiction.”
Another woman testified that Hollington sexualized the conversation during her appointment with him, the U.S. Lawyer’s Office said.
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She testified that Hollington asked “whether or not he needs a ‘Sugar Daddy’,” and said he had not discussed the medical reasons related to her visit, according to prosecutors.
When DEA’s undercover agents visited Hollington at his clinic on separate occasions, prosecutors asked what drugs they like and said they “provided a prescription without proper medical justification.”
Prosecutors said Hollington conducted physical examinations and prescribed medications without assessing vitals, with most officer appointments. He was also accused of not properly documenting the visit.
After the charges, prosecutors said Hollington had changed medical notes for undercover agents. He was accused of obstructing justice, according to prosecutors.
Fallgatter told the court at Hollington’s trial that he helped his client suffer from addiction by prescribing “uncontaminated” medications so that he didn’t have to obtain the substance elsewhere, the Florida Times Union reported.
According to the newspaper, Fallgatter did not deny any charges that included Hollington sexually exchanging prescriptions.
However, Fallgatter emphasized, “This case is not about sexual charging…it’s a drug case,” the newspaper reported.
Fallgatter told McClatchy News that Hollington “provisioned life-saving drugs for legal medical purposes.”
Hollington is planning to file an appeal and is seeking a new lawyer to represent him, court records show.
If you or a loved one shows signs of a substance use disorder, you can ask for help by calling the National Hotline at 1-800-662-4357.
