Texas doctor gets 12-year sentence for opioid pill mill; Pennsylvania impostor nurse convicted

A Texas physician, Dr. Maryam Qayum, was sentenced to 12½ years in federal prison for running the Recare Health Clinic as a cash‑only pill mill that issued more than 3 million opioid prescriptions between 2022 and 2025. The operation sold high‑strength oxycodone and hydrocodone to street‑level dealers, charging hundreds of dollars per prescription and taking “tips” to expedite orders.

In Pennsylvania, Shannon Nicole Womack pleaded guilty to multiple felonies after posing as a registered nurse using stolen identities. She stole around 120 oxycodone pills while working shifts at two care facilities and jeopardized patient safety. The court sentenced her to 4½–9 years in state prison, noting the harm caused to the professional reputations of the nurses whose identities she misused.