Broward Sheriff Al Lamberti talks to NBC 6 about the latest developments in pain clinic raid in Pompano Beach.
On Wednesday Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies displayed a cache of weapons they said they uncovered inside the home of Frank and Bernice Turturo, the owners of the Pompano Beach pain management clinic that was raided Tuesday.
The BSO used warrants to search the now-closed pain clinic on South Powerline Road and the Coral Springs home of the Turturos. They said they found a mother lode of cash and heavy artillery.
“Two of the weapons are short-barreled assault weapons,” Broward Sheriff Al Lamberti said at a news conference Wednesday.
The husband-and-wife pair, who was arrested after a yearlong investigation, each face 14 counts including racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, money laundering, and structuring over $100,000 within a 12-month period, according their arrest warrants.
Frank Turturo, 35, and Bernice Turturo, 38, also face four counts of Oxycodone trafficking, two of delivery of Zolpidem, two of delivery of Carisoprodol, one of delivery of Alprazolam, and one of unlawful distribution of prescription drugs, the warrants said.
Authorities said their clinic was a cash-only operation worth millions – and the cash stacks they recovered are the proof. Officials said the Turturos made money hand over fist by charging their customers double and sometimes triple the cost of their drugs.
“Four hundred thousand dollars cash was uncovered in a false wall inside the house, under the bed and various locations throughout the house,” Lamberti said.
And, he said, “In 24 hours, we were able to recover 80 weapons from Mr. Turturo.”
The BSO said no customers were arrested in Tuesday’s sting, though many had illegal prescriptions.
Two people died from overdoes of drugs dispensed from the clinic, according to the BSO.
The Broward medical examiner sent the clinic a letter saying one of its patients overdosed and died, Lamberti said.
“These people are so callous, they crumpled up that letter and threw it in the trash, it didn't faze them one bit,” he said.
Frank Turturo’s bond was set at $550,000 and his wife’s at $170,000, and both were still in custody Wednesday night, according to the BSO.
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