Husky man avoids prison, gets house arrest, in part, because of his weight

WELLINGTON, Fla. - The pharmaceutical wholesaler tied to Christopher and Jeffrey George -- the Wellington brothers accused of pushing more than 20 million oxycodone pills through pain clinics in Broward and Palm Beach counties -- was sentenced to four years probation on Friday after a doctor testified in U.S. District Court that he was too ill to be sent to prison and had one to three years left to live.

Steven Goodman, 68, had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States, after federal prosecutors alleged he shipped the powerful pain pills to the George brothers in connection with the operation.

Thirty-two people -- from Florida to Kentucky to Tennessee -- including Goodman, the George brothers and 13 doctors --  were arrested after authorities said more than 50 people died from overdoses.

Goodman, who weighs 524 pounds and has a long history of medical problems, faced five years in prison.

In addition to probation, a judge sentenced him to 30 months of home confinement and ordered him to pay a $25,000 fine.