A Sherman doctor indicted in connection with the death of a Sulphur Springs person and six others will remain in jail for the time being.
Howard Greg Diamond, 56, appeared before a federal judge today in Sherman with an appeal to be released on his own recognizance, with conditions including the forfeiture of his medical license, but the request was denied. Diamond is jailed at the Fannin County Jail in Bonham.
Diamond operated a clinic in Paris as well as Sherman, both of which did business as Diamondback Pain and Wellness. He was indicted on July 6 and charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, health care fraud, aiding and abetting, and money laundering. Diamond was arrested on July 11 in Sherman.
Diamond is alleged to have conspired with others to write prescriptions for substances such as hydrocodone, oxymorphine, methadone, fentanyl, morphine, oxycodone, alprazolam, and zolpidem, without a legitimate medical purpose, from a time period beginning in 2010.
The conspiracy is alleged to have led to the deaths of a Sulphur Springs person, along with at least six other people from a 2012-2016. No identifying information about the people has been released, except that the deaths occurred in Abilene; Ardmore, Okla.; Hugo, Okla.; Idabel; McKinney; and Yukon, Okla.
Diamondback Pain and Wellness locations were raided by federal agents in May for the purpose of confiscating medical records, said to be insufficient. Diamond had to pay a $500 fine and complete a Texas Medical Board-mandated training for the same violation in 2015.
If convicted, Diamond could be sentenced to life in federal prison.
“We would like to see conviction, but we would also like people to realize this is an epidemic,” FBI spokesperson Davilyn Walston said. “These opioids are everywhere . . . it doesn't take much and people become addicted and they die.”
