INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A Vero Beach doctor arrested Thursday on drug trafficking and robbery charges is accused in a federal complaint of drug offenses related to the overdose death of a Palm Beach County woman in 2016.

Johnny Clyde Benjamin Jr., 51, of the Pro Spine Center, who has been held at the Indian River County Jail since his arrest, faces two federal drug offenses that, if he is convicted, carry up to a life prison term, records show.

Federal prosecutors filed papers seeking to keep Benjamin in jail until his first appearance Friday before a federal judge in Fort Pierce. He’s being held in lieu of an $800,000 bail.

A federal criminal complaint released Monday shows Benjamin faces a charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance resulting in death and attempted possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.

Previously:Pro Spine Center doctor arrested on attempted drug trafficking, robbery charges

His attorney, Andy Metcalf, who said he’s known his client for 20 years, defended Benjamin’s stature in the community, and cautioned people not to jump to conclusions.

“I know him to be one of the most outstanding physicians that we have. I’ve known him to be a pillar of our community, very involved with charitable organizations,” Metcalf said Monday. “These types of allegations, to anybody who knows him, are a shock. I would ask everybody to give this man the benefit of the doubt and allow the judicial process to unfold.”

Court papers show Benjamin has been under investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration for more than a year.

His arrest involved two confidential informants, recorded calls and surveillance of the Pro Spine Center. It also included an Oct. 5 police encounter as Benjamin tried to board a flight to Philadelphia from Orlando Melbourne International Airport. He was stopped carrying what DEA agents claimed were 4,000 phony pills that Benjamin believed to be opioids supplied to him by a confidential informant.

State charges

The case became public Thursday when Benjamin was arrested and charged in state court with felony attempted trafficking in fentanyl, felony robbery by sudden snatching and felony grand theft. Those charges are still pending but will be dropped, a state prosecutor said.

Detectives were initially called to the Pro Spine Center in the 1300 block of 37th Street to assist with what was reported as Benjamin snatching someone's phone, according to his arrest report.

A man told authorities Benjamin was speaking to him in the office when Benjamin suddenly "grabbed" the phone and "was able to forcibly rip it from (the man's) hands." When a detective arrived, Benjamin had left for the day. He was found and taken into custody at his residence on Painted Bunting Lane Thursday afternoon.

Benjamin was first charged with offenses related to the allegations of taking the $300 phone. He was then served with an additional charge of attempted trafficking in fentanyl filed by the state Attorney's Office.

More:Pro Spine Center doctor arrested on drug, robbery charges sued 13 times this decade

DEA probe

According to an affidavit filed by Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Michael Buemi, the man in Benjamin’s office who had his phone taken was an undercover informant who was assisting the DEA. Benjamin had confronted the man about whether he was helping law enforcement.

Records show agents began investigating Benjamin after the Sept. 1, 2016, death of a middle-aged Palm Beach County woman referred to in a criminal complaint as “MC,” who “detectives believed overdosed on counterfeit opioid medication” that contained furanylfentanyl, a controlled substance regulated by the DEA.

That investigation, Buemi wrote in his affidavit, led agents to two confidential informants: “CD1,” the person who supplied MC with pills, and “CD2," the first informant’s pill connection who agreed to cooperate and had his phone taken the day of Benjamin’s arrest.

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According to court papers, the second confidential informant, CD2, told agents the pills came from Benjamin, “with whom CD2 had a lengthy and personal relationship.” The nature of that relationship is unclear.

CD2 “advised that he/she personally knew and had obtained (furanylfentanyl) pills from Dr. Benjamin, then distributed the pills to CD1, who in turn, ultimately, provided the pills to the victim MC."

The complaint stated that after CD2 learned of MC’s death, “he/she told Dr. Benjamin the pills given to him/her (CD2) had killed someone.” The informant told agents Benjamin stated that “she was just another ‘page in a large stack’ and did not seem too concerned about the death caused by the pills.”

On Oct. 5, DEA agents provided CD2 with 4,000 “blue circular placebo pills containing lactose” for delivery to Benjamin, who believed they were oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl.

“After the transaction … CD2 and Benjamin discuss manufacturing their own pills utilizing pill press machines,” the complaint stated.

More:Fort Pierce woman charged with attempted murder after drug deal ends in overdose

Flight foiled

On Oct. 6, DEA agents watched as Benjamin, dressed in hospital scrubs, arrived at Orlando Melbourne International Airport and went through airport security, where his bags were inspected. Inside a bag, authorities found four large unmarked pill bottles.

Benjamin claimed the pills were to treat cancer in his neck, but he had no prescription, so authorities kept the pills, telling him he couldn’t fly with them without proper paperwork. Benjamin left the airport, the federal complaint stated, but he returned with a prescription he wrote himself the same day.

But agents told Benjamin they’d done some research while he was gone and found “that the pills were oxycodone pills and not cancer pills” and he couldn’t have them back.

A week later, Benjamin and CD2 had a confrontation at his office, which resulted in his arrest accusing him of grabbing a cellphone.

Benjamin, the complaint stated, was using a computer to write messages to CD2 to say he’d been stopped by police. He asked to see CD2's phone and wanted to know if he'd been cooperating with authorities.

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