Texas doctor convicted for running opioid 'pill mill' scheme

A federal jury has convicted Barbara Marino, a 65-year-old physician from Tomball, Texas, on multiple drug distribution charges. The case involved her role at a Houston clinic where she allegedly wrote thousands of medically unnecessary prescriptions for highly addictive drugs. Marino worked as the only doctor at Angels Clinica, a cash-only facility in Houston. Over a nine-month period, she earned more than $400,000 from the clinic’s owners for prescribing controlled substances. Investigators found that nearly all her prescriptions—over 99%—were for the strongest short-acting versions of opioids like oxycodone and hydrocodone.

Many patients were brought to the clinic by street-level dealers who later sold the pills illegally. Marino routinely prescribed a dangerous mix of opioids and carisoprodol, a combination often linked to so-called pill mills. One case involved a pregnant woman in her third trimester, who received hydrocodone and carisoprodol despite the risks to both mother and child. The jury found Marino guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and four counts of distributing a controlled substance.

Marino now faces up to 20 years in prison for each count. The conviction follows evidence that she issued prescriptions without legitimate medical justification. Her sentencing will be determined at a later date.