A Brevard County doctor has been sentenced to 19 years and seven months in federal prison for illegally distributing prescription painkillers.
Dr. John Gayden Jr. was sentenced Monday.
Gayden was convicted in June of dispensing oxycodone outside the usual course of professional practice. Court records suggest he was distributing the pain medication with no legitimate medical reason.
Investigators say the 64-year-old ran a cash-only pain management clinic in Indialantic from 2009 to 2011.
Gayden allegedly charged $200-$400 per visit, where patients received prescriptions for high doses of oxycodone with little to no medical evaluation.
Investigators say many of the people who received the prescriptions then abused the opioid painkillers themselves or sold the pills.