St. Augustine's own Dr. Scott Andrew Hollington will be trading his white coat for prison garb after a federal court sentenced him to 12 years behind bars. The 59-year-old was convicted on numerous counts involving the illegal distribution of controlled substances and obstructing justice, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
It seems that the disgraced doctor was caught in the act of unlawfully dispensing drugs like a candy store delivers sweets — all absent legitimate medical purpose or due procedural checks. The Department of Justice's statement detailed how the DEA first got wind of Hollington's misdeeds through a tip from the local sheriff's office before deciding to further investigate.
Undercover DEA agents made five visits to Hollington's clinic between February and July 2022. They walked away with 17 prescriptions for controlled substances including amphetamines, benzodiazepines, and buprenorphine — all without the necessary medical justifications. "Hollington asked the officers about their drug preferences and offered prescriptions without proper medical justification," reads a quote on U.S. Attorney's Office from evidence presented at trial. It's no surprise that, given the lack of essential medical assessment during these visits, Hollington's practice was swiftly deemed illegitimate.
In court, jurors heard from victims who painted a twisted picture of a man who sought to trade prescriptions for sexual favors. He was a 'monster' "who took advantage of her vulnerability while seeking help for addiction," one victim described in testimony obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office. These alarming revelations underscore the boundary Hollington had unethically and illegally crossed.
A multi-agency investigation partnering the DEA with various local and state law enforcement agencies eventually led to Hollington's undoing. Assistant United States Attorneys Kirwinn Mike and Ashley Washington prosecuted the case, ensuring that Hollington would face the consequences for his egregious misuse of a position of trust within the medical community.
