The chief executive officer of a chain of urgent-care clinics was part of a conspiracy to sell pain pills in Eastern Kentucky, a federal grand jury has charged.

The grand jury indicted Michael D. Leman of Louisiana on Thursday.

He is charged with conspiring to distribute oxycodone and methadone in the Floyd County area between January 2005 and the fall of 2007.

The charge resulted from the investigation of one of the largest schemes uncovered in Eastern Kentucky involving people who went to other states to get prescriptions for pills, then sold or abused the drugs at home.

The problem has increased in recent years as people sought to avoid Kentucky's prescription-tracking system and scrutiny by authorities.

In an earlier phase of the case, 22 people pleaded guilty.

Several traveled to clinics in Louisiana, Philadelphia and Cincinnati to get prescriptions at clinics operated by Urgent Care Services, according to court records.

Leman was president of the company, according to court documents.

The clinics allegedly operated as what are sometimes called "pill mills."

Employees gave Kentucky residents prescriptions after little or no physical examination, in exchange for cash, witnesses said.

Two other Urgent Care employees were indicted earlier.

Leman was charged in a criminal complaint in April, but it was sealed.

He faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million, according to the indictment.