Ventura County – Working in close concert with the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department Interagency Pharmaceutical Crimes Unit has been working a case brought to its attention in June of this year wherein a female resident of Thousand Oaks suffering from advanced cancer contacted Vincent Gammill. 69, for treatment publicized on his internet website, and was subsequently treated by him for her illness.
The issue ultimately faced by both Gammill and his ailing patient is that he is not a licensed physician. According to Ventura County Sheriff’s Department Public Information Officer Sgt. Victor Fazio, the victim was initially drawn to Gammill by his website that offered “alternative and complementary care for those with cancer…and to provide practical assistance and support to those with cancer.” When the woman traveled from her Thousand Oaks home to Gammill’s Richmond offices, she received a personal consultation for which she paid $2000, as well as numerous medicinal compounds, one of which was later discovered to be common dirt. According to Fazio, the victim was also administered certain compounds purported to be medicinal in nature which were apparently anything but curative in any way.
Police display some of the drugs found with Gammill
Pursuant to the victim’s report to Ventura County law enforcement, an investigation immediately ensued wherein it was determined that Gammill had been practicing medicine without a license and furnishing “dangerous drugs” without a license. Search warrants were then executed upon Gammill’s home and office, revealing corrosive and poisonous compounds requiring the services of the Contra Costa County Hazmat Team. Also discovered during the searches were “over 25,000 prescription pills including morphine, Ambien, steroids, and Mexican and Russian drugs.” Gammill reportedly admitted to investigators at the scene that he “had no formal education beyond high school.”
Gammill was summarily transported to Contra Costa County Jail for booking on charges of practicing medicine without a license and abuse of a dependent adult; he is due to be transported to Ventura County Jail for his arraignment in Ventura County Superior Court on August 31st.
Photos: courtesy Ventura County Sheriff’s Department
