SAN DIEGO - Dr. David J. Smith, a pain management physician, and his office manager, Julia Ann Oertle, are charged in a federal grand-jury indictment with perpetuating a long-running scheme to commit healthcare fraud and to manufacture and distribute adulterated fentanyl. Smith made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate...

SOUTH BEND, Indiana – Alfred A. Cooke, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of Drug Enforcement Administration-Merrillville, Indiana, and U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson for the Northern District of Indiana announced that Shanell Medina-Hipolite, 24, of Chicago, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to...

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Late yesterday, in federal court in Central Islip, an 18-count indictment was returned charging Dr. Roya Jafari-Hassad with illegal distribution of oxycodone and witness tampering. Hassad was arrested this morning and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Steven L. Tiscione. Breon...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Amandeep Multani, 34, of Roseville, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, opium, and ketamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert and Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris announced. According to court documents, Multani...

FRESNO, Calif. — Michael Erin Vandeventer, 23, of Sparks, Nevada, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by robbery, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert and Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris announced. According to court documents, on April 19, 2020, Vandeventer and...

MANHATTAN – Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today announced the indictments of nine individuals, including Tribeca physician Dr. Noel Smith, for charges including conspiring to distribute tens of thousands of prescription pills, including opioids and other controlled substances, in Manhattan and Staten Island. The defendants allegedly operated a...

ORLANDO , Fla . – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced that Carlos Alberto Roman (56, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to possession of controlled substances and possessing a firearm equipped with a silencer in furtherance of that drug crime. Roman faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 30 years, up...

BOSTON – Northeast Hospital Corporation (Northeast), part of Beth Israel Lahey Health, has agreed to pay $1.9 million in civil penalties to resolve allegations that Northeast violated the Controlled Substance Act (the CSA) by failing to keep accurate records of controlled substances, including opioids. The CSA requires accurate inventorying and...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., physician pleaded guilty in federal court today to providing false information in order to receive Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements to which she was not entitled. Heather D. Stelling, 55, waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge...

INDIANAPOLIS – Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of Drug Enforcement Administration-Indianapolis, and U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers for the Southern District of Indiana announced that Dorian Hayden, 26, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 150 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine...