What Happened
In December 2024, former Huntsville, Alabama, family practice doctor Francene Aretha Gayle, 50, was sentenced to 87 months in prison on four opioid prescribing charges, one count of health care fraud and one count of wire fraud. Her wife, Schara Monique Davis, 48, who owned the practice, received 42 months for health care and wire fraud. Each was ordered to pay $2.2 million in restitution and forfeit $226,815. Gayle admitted unlawfully distributing oxycodone, hydrocodone and methadone, and the Alabama Medical Licensure Commission revoked her license in March 2020. They also admitted COVID-19 relief fraud.
“Gayle admitted that she had unlawfully distributed drugs, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, and methadone.”
Related Guidance
- 15 Red Flags of Drug Diversion — Behavioral and transactional indicators of diversion.
- Investigation Playbook — How to investigate suspected diversion inside an organization.