Two Pharmacists, Office Manager Arrested in Connection with Prescription Drug Trafficking

PACE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) has arrested two pharmacists and an office manager from Pace Pharmacy on charges related to conspiring to traffic prescription drugs.

Stephen Burklow, 54, and David Winkles, 69, both pharmacists, and Monique Burklow, 58, the office manager and Stephen’s wife, were taken into custody. The Burklows are also the owners of Pace Pharmacy.

According to the FDLE, the investigation began in December 2020 after reports of excessive controlled substance prescriptions being written by a local obstetrician-gynecologist, Dr. Elaine Sharp, and filled at Pace Pharmacy. Sharp was previously arrested on various charges.

The FDLE alleges that the Burklows and Winkles accepted and dispensed illicit prescriptions for oxycodone, hydromorphone, and hydrocodone outside the course of professional practice. Additionally, Stephen Burklow allegedly billed multiple insurance companies using physicians’ National Provider Identifier (NPI) numbers without their knowledge or consent.

The official charges are as follows:

• Stephen Burklow: conspiracy to traffic oxycodone, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone, conspiracy to commit racketeering, money laundering, healthcare fraud, and five counts of identity theft
• David Winkles: conspiracy to traffic schedule II-controlled substances and conspiracy to commit racketeering
• Monique Burklow: conspiracy to commit racketeering, money laundering, and selling controlled substances

FDLE Pensacola Special Agent in Charge Chris Williams stated, “In our communities, there is no room for criminals that greedily profit from the opioid epidemic by trafficking illicit drugs under the guise of a legitimate pharmacy.”

Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson added, “These arrests are a result of excellent teamwork between law enforcement agencies… We will continue to hold individuals accountable who choose to profit from this type of criminal behavior.”