A Flowery Branch woman is facing an indictment for allegedly trading a romantic relationship with a former medical examiner for opioid pills.
Rhonda Haugland, 59, is among eight co-defendants in the case, and is accused of carrying out a romantic relationship with Joseph Lawson Burton, 76, of Milton in exchange for opioid prescriptions in her name and the names of others, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Byung J. "BJay" Pak.
Burton, a former county medical examiner and forensic pathologist, "traded away his responsibility as a licensed doctor and respected pathologist by allegedly writing unnecessary prescriptions in exchange for sex and romantic companionship," said Pak in a statement.
Drug agents first visited Burton in 2017 and learned he was allegedly prescribing opioid painkillers to "a large number" of patients, despite not operating a medical clinic, or in some cases without regularly seeing patients.
Pak said Burton issued more than 1,100 prescriptions, totaling more than 108,000 doses, nearly two-thirds of which were oxycodone. Burt also prescribed methadone and hydrocodone.
Haugland is accused of filling her prescriptions and selling the drugs, or getting payment from other people to get Burton to fill a separate prescription.
The alleged crimes happened between July 2015 and February 2018.
