The first of six defendants in the health care fraud case against Braking Point Recovery enter guilty pleas in federal court.

Two of the defendants, Dr. Thomas Bailey of Poland and Dr. Arthur Smith of Austintown each entered guilty pleas to charges of dispensing a controlled substance. 

A guilty plea also was entered by Kortney Gherardi of  Girard to a charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. 

All of the defendants accepted plea bargains and waived their right to a trial. 

Under the plea agreements, other charges against them will be dismissed at sentencing.  Their sentences could range from just community-controlled probation to a maximum of ten years imprisonment and fines ranging from $200,000 to $500,000.

The remaining three defendants, including the owner of Braking Point, Ryan Sheridan and his wife Jennifer, are due in court to accept guilty plea agreements later this week.

The government investigation said that Braking Point submitted more than 130,000 Medicaid claims totaling nearly $50 million dollars for services that were not necessary or never performed.