TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. (WFLA) – Diana Cravener is hoping by telling her story, other victims might come forward. She is one of three victims named in a search warrant in the case involving Christopher Ferguson.
Ferguson was the director of the Phoenix Medical Pain Management Clinic in Tarpon Springs. He resigned his position after police arrested him on an extortion charge. His wife, Patricia Ferguson, still owns and operates the clinic.
According to the search warrant, police conducted a controlled phone call between the first victim and Ferguson.
Ferguson is recorded saying to that victim, “Well, here’s what I was thinking. I was thinking you’d come in; I have the massage room set up. What I would like-I’ll tell you what I would like and then you tell me what you feel comfortable with. I would like for you to come in and undress so I can at least see your body, ugh, then go from there and probably just a b******, I guess. I mean nothing too overly dramatic or anything I’m not gonna attack ya-I’m not looking to do anything beyond that.”
The victim replied, “I mean I don’t feel comfortable with any of it, but whatever you say I need to do, I guess what you’re saying I need to do, I gotta do.”
Police say Ferguson’s method of operation involved telling the patients that their drug screening had come back positive and he or the doctor would be forced to turn the results over to authorities or child protective services. Ferguson, detectives say, would offer an alternative to that: sexual favors for a clean slate.
Cravener says that’s exactly what happened in her case.
“He said we’ve got to talk this out. You came up with a dirty urine. We need to work this out. I said okay, how much money do you want? It’s not that. You can either work it out here in the office or outside,” said Cravener. “I said, what do you mean, work it out? He said, you know what I mean. And I said no, and I backed myself out of the door. And I turned around and he said you’re going to be discharged and have no meds and I said so be it. “
Cravener believes other victims may not have come forward because they are embarrassed or are worried they would be ejected from the clinic. She says since she went to the police, she still hasn’t been able to get the pain medication she desperately needs.
“I was thrown out of an automobile, so I’ve got neck and back injuries,” said Cravener. “When you have a positive urine, that wasn’t true, it’s hard to get into another doctor. I had nothing in my system. It was a lie.”
Cravener hopes that other victims will see her story and go to the police.
“And I know there are more girls, and God, I know it’s hard girls,” Cravener said, addressing the camera. “And I know you need your meds. But come forward. Don’t let him get away with it.”
Ferguson is currently out of jail on bond.
