Pace Pharmacy owners arrested again on additional drug charges, along with fourth suspect
Santa Rosa County Sheriff's deputies arrested Stephen and Monique Burklow for multiple felonies and misdemeanors. Deputies also arrested 22-year-old Laikyn Burklow, who shares the same home address as Stephen and Monique, for misdemeanor possession of a new legend drug without a prescription.
Stephen Burklow was arrested on charges of felony fraud and drug possession, as well as a misdemeanor count of possessing a new legend drug. Monique Burklow was arrested for drug possession and a misdemeanor count of possessing a new legend drug.
The elder Burklows were previously arrested on a combined 14 charges related to alleged money laundering, drug trafficking and racketeering through their family-owned pharmacy.
All three were released from Santa Rosa County jail on bond June 23. As of June 24, it does not appear the Office of the State Attorney has publicly filed a case for the new charges of Stephen and Monique Burklow, or the first-time charge against Laikyn Burklow.
Stephen "Steve" A. Burklow, 54, and Monique Hunter Burklow, 58, are spouses and the owners of Pace Pharmacy, located at 4880 Woodbine Road.
Stephen A. Burklow was licensed as a pharmacist Aug. 3, 1993, according to Florida Department of Health records, and has been an independent pharmacy owner for 20 years, according to his website. He previously owned and operated Burklow Pharmacy, also in Pace.
He specializes in compounding, the practice of mixing customer-specific medications in house, and independent retail pharmacy.
Stephen Burklow, who acted as a pharmacist, and Monique Burklow, who acted as the pharmacy's office manager, were the subject of a multi-year, multi-agency investigation led by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Arrests came down on the two, as well as second pharmacist David Winkles, in May, with charges including conspiring to traffic prescription drugs including trafficking over 22 kilograms (48 pounds) of oxycodone, over 26 kilograms (57 pounds) of hydrocodone and just shy of one kilogram of hydromorphone.
FDLE's investigation began in December 2020, after learning that a local obstetrician-gynecologist, later identified as Dr. Elaine Sharp, was writing an excessive amount of controlled substance prescriptions and recommending her patients fill the prescriptions at Pace Pharmacy. During this same time, FDLE was working jointly with multiple state, local and federal agencies to investigate numerous allegations of a pill mill operation in the area.
Agents say the Burklows and Winkles accepted and dispensed illicit prescriptions (including oxycodone, hydromorphone and hydrocodone) outside the course of professional practice and not intended for medical purpose or need. Additionally, Stephen Burklow, through the Pace Pharmacy, allegedly billed multiple insurance companies, using various physicians' National Provider Identifier (NPI) numbers without their knowledge or consent to do so, for prescriptions that may or may not have been provided to patients.
On June 23, Stephen Burklow was arrested on charges of felony fraud and drug possession, as well as a misdemeanor count of possessing a new legend drug. Monique Burklow was arrested for drug possession and a misdemeanor count of possessing a new legend drug.
Beside the newest allegations, Stephen Burklow is also facing 11 felony charges stemming from the FDLE investigation including:
Conspiracy to traffic oxycodone
Conspiracy to traffic hydrocodone
Conspiracy to traffic hydromorphone
Conspiracy to commit racketeering
Conspiracy to commit money laundering
Conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud
Five counts of identity theft
Monique Burklow is facing charges including:
Conspiracy to commit racketeering
Conspiracy to commit money laundering
Conspiracy to sell controlled substances
Along with their criminal charges, both Burklows and Winkles are facing a lawsuit filed by the family of Andrew Strickland, a 47-year-old man who died just days after he filled a prescription written by Sharp, according to Levin Papantonio attorney Peter Mougey.
Strickland was found in his room unresponsive in June 2023 roughly 10 days after filling the prescription, and Mougey says Stephen Burklow, Monique Burklow, Winkles and Pace Pharmacy are responsible.
"This is a case about accountability," Mougey said. "Pharmacies have a legal and moral duty to act as a line of defense against dangerous prescribing practices.
"In this case, that duty was catastrophically breached, and their failure to follow the law and their professional duties cost a man his life," Mougey added.
The lawsuit alleges five separate counts related to Strickland's death including:
Negligence, gross negligence and reckless conduct of pharmacist Stephen Burklow
Negligence, gross negligence and reckless conduct of pharmacist David Winkles
Negligence of Pace Pharmacy LLC and vicarious liability for actions of pharmacy staff
Negligence of Pace Pharmacy LLC in its independent duties to ensure safe and lawful operations of the pharmacy
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pace Pharmacy, Stephen Burklow, Monique Burklow arrested again
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