New Drug Charges For Pace Pharmacy Owners And Their Daughter

June 25, 2025

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has released details in the re-arrested the owners of Pace Pharmacy,  along with the initial arrest of their adult daughter.

Pharmacy owners Stephen Allen Burklow and Monique Hunter Burklow were arrested this week on drug possession charges, as was their daughter.

FDLE previously arrested Stephen and Monique Burklow on May 14 on racketeering and drug charges.  The arrests are a result of FDLE’s ongoing pill mill investigation.

  • Stephen Burklow, 54, was arrested on 10 felony counts of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, five felony counts of identity theft and 10 misdemeanor counts of possession of drugs without a prescription.
  • Monique Burklow, 58, was arrested on one felony count of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription and four misdemeanor counts of possession of drugs without a prescription.
  • Laikyn Burklow, 22, was arrested on one misdemeanor count of possession of drugs without a prescription.

FDLE obtained arrest warrants for the Burklows and the trio turned themselves in to the Santa Rosa County Jail on June 23. The cases will be prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney, First Judicial Circuit.

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The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) today arrested Pace Pharmacy pharmacists Stephen Allen Burklow and David Barron Winkles and pharmacy office manager Monique Burklow. The suspects are charged with conspiring to traffic prescription drugs including trafficking over 22 kilograms (48 pounds) of oxycodone, over 26 kilograms (57 pounds) of hydrocodone and just shy of one kilogram of hydromorphone. The Burklows are the owners of Pace Pharmacy LLC.

The arrests are the result of a multi-year, multi-agency investigation led by FDLE with assistance from the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Health, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Florida Department of Financial Services, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

“In our communities, there is no room for criminals that greedily profit from the opioid epidemic by trafficking illicit drugs under the guise of a legitimate pharmacy,” said FDLE Pensacola Special Agent in Charge Chris Williams. “I am proud of the complex and dedicated work demonstrated by FDLE’s agents, crime intelligence analysts and forensic scientists, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office investigators, and the work of all of our partners to get these thugs off our streets.”

“These arrests are a result of excellent teamwork between law enforcement agencies,” said Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson. “This sends a clear message that no one is above the law, not even those entrusted with our community’s health. The illegal distribution of controlled substances puts lives at risk and fuels addiction. We will continue to hold individuals accountable who choose to profit from this type of criminal behavior.”

Stephen Burklow, 54, of Pace, was arrested on conspiracy to traffic oxycodone, conspiracy to traffic hydrocodone, conspiracy to traffic hydromorphone, conspiracy to commit racketeering, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and five counts of identity theft.

Winkles, 69, of Pace, was arrested on conspiracy to traffic schedule II-controlled substances and conspiracy to commit racketeering.

Monique Burklow, 58, of Pace, was arrested on conspiracy to commit racketeering, conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to sell controlled substances.

FDLE’s investigation began in December 2020, after learning that a local obstetrician-gynecologist, later identified as Dr. Elaine Sharp, was writing an excessive amount of controlled substance prescriptions and recommending her patients fill the prescriptions at Pace Pharmacy. During this same time, FDLE was working jointly with multiple state, local and federal agencies to investigate numerous allegations of a pill mill operation in the area.

Agents say the Burklows and Winkles accepted and dispensed illicit prescriptions (including oxycodone, hydromorphone and hydrocodone) outside the course of professional practice and not intended for medical purpose or need. Additionally, Mr. Burklow, through the Pace Pharmacy, billed multiple insurance companies, using various physicians’ National Provider Identifier (NPI) numbers without their knowledge or consent to do so, for prescriptions that may or may not have been provided to patients.

Comments

4 Responses to “New Drug Charges For Pace Pharmacy Owners And Their Daughter”

  1. anne on June 26th, 2025 9:01 am

    They thought it was a good life and wanted to included their daughter? How sad for all of them.

  2. David on June 25th, 2025 2:08 pm

    From their past illicit activities it is evident that they have a hard time learning from their “mistakes!”

  3. Bewildered on June 25th, 2025 11:33 am

    What a mess. One would think if you got caught at your place of business operating a pill mill you would be smarter than to take drugs home to continue doing business from there

  4. Bill T on June 25th, 2025 9:48 am

    I got a feeling you are caught so be prepared to spend a long time in not jail but prison !!! Between and I’m guessing 17 to 27 years !!