A man associated with the Pagans Motorcycle Club and a Levittown doctor convicted of running a pill mill was sentenced to 15 years in prison Thursday.
Joseph Mehl, 50, who was also known as “Joseph Montanero,” was sentenced by federal Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro to 15 years in federal prison and three years of supervision following his release from custody.
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Mehl played a role in trafficking oxycodone and other opioids along with other members of the Pagans and Dr. William J. O’Brien III, who operated a practice in Bristol Township’s Levittown section until his arrest in 2015.
From federal prosecutors:
Mehl was a long-time associate of the Pagans. Together with the Pagans, O’Brien operated a “pill mill” out of his medical offices. O’Brien wrote fraudulent prescriptions for oxycodone and other drugs, while the Pagans and their associates recruited “pseudo-patients” to buy the fraudulent prescriptions. O’Brien charged $250 cash for the first appointment to obtain prescriptions for controlled substances and $200 cash for each subsequent visit. Oxycodone (30 mg) was in high demand by drug dealers who could sell each pill on the street for as much as $25 to $30. O’Brien sold prescriptions for these dangerous and addictive drugs to hundreds of “pseudo-patients.” After filling the prescriptions, the Pagans resold the pills on the street. The investigation showed that from March 2012 to January 2015, more than 700,000 pills containing oxycodone and other Schedule II controlled substances were distributed by members of the conspiracy.
O’Brien made large sums of money from his pill mill operation and was accused of lying during a court case related to the finances of a company he was involved with. A man died, according to federal prosecutors, due to actions of O’Brien.
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Mehl was indicted along with other members of the Pagan Motorcycle Club in July 2015.
O’Brien is currently serving 30 years behind bars. Pagans members Joseph Mitchell and Patrick Treacy were sentenced to 9 nine years and 20 years in federal prison for their role in the drug ring.
