Judge orders alleged 'pill mill' kingpin Jeffrey F. George held on $100,000 bond

A judge this morning ordered a Wellington man accused of getting wildly rich by running the largest illegal pain clinic network in the country, along with his twin brother, held in lieu of $100,000 bond.

Jeffrey F. George, 30, has been charged with second-degree murder, eight counts of trafficking a controlled substance of 30 kilograms or less, four counts of selling a schedule narcotic and one count of trafficking a controlled substance in excess of 30 kilograms.

In court this morning, the assistant state attorney and David Roth, George's private attorney, agreed on a list of restrictions George must follow should he bond out.

Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Ted S. Booras agreed with the restrictions and ordered George to have no contact with any of the defendants or witnesses in his case. He was also ordered to not posses a passport or request a new one, and not to possess any firearms or leave Palm Beach County without reporting first to the Drug Enforcement Administration or State Attorney Deputy Chief Investigator William Fraser.

George's second-degree murder charge stems from the death of 24-year-old Joseph S. Bartolucci. He was found dead within "close proximity" of a "massive dose of narcotics" that were prescribed by 77-year-old Dr. Gerald Klein, who was employed as a dispensing physician at the East Coast Pain Clinic, according to the probable cause affidavit.

George was the "sole owner" of the clinic, the affidavit states.

During an interview with Fraser on Aug. 19, George "acknowledged he shared responsibility for the death of Joseph Bartolucci," according to the affidavit.

"(George) also acknowledged responsibility for, and his role in the conspiracy to traffic in controlled substances and for trafficking in controlled substances," the affidavit states.

Bartolucci's mother, Gina Bartolucci, and sister were present in court this morning.

"I just want to say that I'm devastated," Gina Bartolucci said during the hearing. She refused to comment after the hearing.