Doctor Joseph Mwau Ndolo waived his right to a trial by jury and pleaded guilty on Monday to three charges of unlawfully distributing controlled substances through his office in Fairhope.

Ndolo will have a sentencing hearing in federal court Aug. 22 and could face up to 20 years or a $1,000,000 fine for each count.

In the plea, Ndolo admitted to running a “pill mill” out of his office from 2008-2013, where he wrote excessive and medically unjustified prescriptions for several controlled substances.

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Certain patients referred to Ndolo’s practice, Premiere Internal Medicine, as a “candy store” for drugs, and the doctor said he had on multiple occasions solicited sex, sexual communications and money in exchange for prescriptions.

An investigation by federal agents found Ndolo had failed to properly treat his patients and had on occasion shown up to treat patients under the influence of alcohol.

The court said Ndolo maintained and managed his clinic for the sole purpose of unlawfully dispensing controlled substances and furthering his pill mill scheme.

“Ndolo characterized his patients as addicts, idiots and stupid,” the court documents said. “Fully aware of the addictions of some of his patients, Ndolo took advantage of them through means such as sexual acts and communications. He led certain drug addicted patients to believe the quality of his medical care would increase if they flirted (with) him.”

Though other prescriptions pills were prescribed, Ndolo was only convicted for several prescriptions of Oxycontin that ranged from 40-80 milligrams in quantities of 60-90 pills.

Ndolo was arrested during a raid on his office March 27 and arraigned in U.S. District Court the following day.