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Former Bridgeport mayor pleads guilty to federal drug charges

CLARKSBURG, W. Va. — The former mayor of Bridgeport has pleaded guilty to three felony drug charges as part of a plea deal with the federal government.

Mario Blount assumed responsibility for one count of conspiracy to distribute Schedule II controlled substances, one count of false or fraudulent material omissions and one count of distribution of oxymorphone.

The latter two counts were not listed in the original indictment leading to the arrest of Blount and his co-defendants Angela and April Davis on June 3, but were listed in an information after interviews conducted with the two women by the Greater Harrison County Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force.

“As a result of their cooperation, in particular from Angela Davis, we learned about more activity related to Mr. Blount,” U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld said. “We received more details about events we were suspicious about but didn’t have all the information that we needed.”

Testimony from Lt. Brian Purkey, a Commander with the Task Force before U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley on Friday indicated Blount and Angela Davis knew one another from their school days. Davis approached Blount, asking for extra prescription medication after she indicated there was a developed dependency. Blount agreed to conspire with Angela and April to distribute the painkillers outside the scope of his professional practice between 2011 and 2014.

According to evidence offered, Blount issued duplicate and excessive quantities of the controlled substances being supplied predominately oxymorphone and oxycodone, several times without a prescription. Davis would sometimes later attempt to fill fradulent prescriptions created from a one-time issued script from a doctor in Georgia at other pharmacies, then bring some pills to Best Care Pharmacy to compensate for the loss.

He also utilized his override authorization in the practice’s computer system which warns pharmacists when supplied controlled substances contradict, or are above the legal or safe dosage.

In one instance, on July 6, 2013, Blount filled a prescription for a man Blount admittedly was deceased.

Angela Davis found a prescription for her son, James Matthew Davis, who had been dead for three years. Angela Davis filled out the prescription for 720 oxymorphone pills —well beyond the 30-day supply limit– which Blount filled, according to investigators.

The investigation began when it was discovered he filled a significant number of prescriptions for patients of Dr. Edita Milan, a Bridgeport physician who is also under indictment. The Greater Harrison County Drug Task Force executed search warrants in October of 2013 at Best Care Pharmacy locations in the West Virginia towns of Bridgeport, Lumberport and Belington and found the necessary evidence to charge Blount and the two Davis women.

Counts one and three for conspiracy and for distribution carry advised maximum sentence of 20 years each with up to a $1 million fine and 3 years of supervised release. Count two involving false or fraudulent omission carries an advised maximum sentence of up to four years with up to a $500,000 fine and 2 years of supervised release.

Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and Blount’s prior criminal history.

Both the defendant and prosecution recommended the sentences for each count run concurrently to each other, but this decision is ultimately up to the judge.

Judge Keeley said a report must be completed before issuing a sentence in the next three months.

“They are very busy and it takes some time to gather the information necessary for a thorough report,” Ihlenfeld said. “So, they’ll spend the next couple of months putting all that together, sending it out to my office and to the defense attorney’s office. Those will be reviewed and ultimately Judge Keeley will schedule a hearing, which she indicated today will take place in January of 2015.”

As part of the plea agreement Blount will relinquish his West Virginia Board of Pharmacy license and will be prohibited from applying to renew it.

Ihlenfeld said this is an important part of combating the drug problem in the area.

“Not only did he plead guilty, he agreed to surrender his licence to be a pharmacist,” he said. “When you take out somebody like that, it’s the equivalent of taking out ten or more street-level drug dealers.”

“With street-level dealers, and this is a frustration with us but it’s a reality, when we prosecute and convict a street-level dealer from Pittsburgh, or Columbus or Cleveland, very often somebody else steps into their shoes and takes their place,” he continued. “That’s not normally the case with medical professionals because 99 percent of our medical professionals are playing by the rules.”

The investigation into Blount conducted by the Task Force included agents and officers from the Bridgeport Police Department, the Clarksburg Police Department, the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the DEA.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Parr with assistance from U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld.

Angela Davis and April Davis are scheduled to be in court on September 23 for plea hearings. Milan is scheduled for trial on November 5.





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