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VALDOSTA — The trial of six people indicted in federal court on charges of running a “pill mill” in Valdosta and Columbus has been scheduled for March 5, according to court records.

The trial was originally scheduled for October, but both the prosecution and defense asked for a delay due to the “complex nature” of the case, according to a court filing.

An indictment was unsealed March 15, 2016, in the U.S. District Court against Carol Neema Biggs, a.k.a. Carol Johnson, Junior Alexander Biggs, Shavonta Devon Bright, a.k.a. “Sean,” Nilaja C. Biggs, William Bacon and Donatus O. Mbanefo, court documents show.

The charges revolve around the Wellness Center of Valdosta, 206 E. Adair St., and the Relief Institute of Columbus, that federal charges claim were used “for the unlawful dispensation of controlled substances,” according to the indictment.

Meanwhile, Carol Biggs has petitioned the court to dismiss four of the indictment charges naming her as an “aider and abettor” in the unlawful dispensing of drugs, claiming the charges are insufficient and nebulous.

The Valdosta clinic started in or about July 2011, while operations in Columbus started a year later, according to the indictment.

Carol Biggs, Nilaja Biggs and Junior Biggs were organizers, officers and managers for the facilities, while Bright was a manager and Bacon and Mbanefo were licensed doctors, according to court documents.

All six were indicted for conspiracy to distribute and dispense Schedule II and III controlled substances, including oxycodone, hydormorphone, alprazolam, carisoprodol, diazepam and zolpidem “not for a legitimate medical purpose,” the indictment says. The six defendants were also indicted for conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, say court papers.

More than 2.5 million oxycodone pills were prescribed, along with more than 680,000 alprazolam pills, 145,000 hydormorphone pills and lesser numbers of the other drugs, according to the indictment. Prescriptions were written for more than 800 people living outside of Georgia, including Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia and Ohio, court documents show.

A cash fee of $350 was required for new patients, with $250 follow-up visit fees, while no form of insurance, Medicaid or Medicare was accepted, the indictment says.

Mbanefo and Bacon were also indicted for unlawful dispensation of controlled substances, court papers show. The website for the Georgia Composite Medical Board shows that Mbanefo’s medical license has been suspended pending the trial’s outcome, while a William Bacon listed for Valdosta is shown to have voluntarily surrendered his license.

Terry Richards is senior reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times.