New Bern Physician Charged With Unlawful Distribution Of Narcotics, Money Laundering, And Possession Of Firearms
GREENVILLE, N.C. - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina announces that the federal grand jury in Greenville returned a 31 count indictment charging physician Sanjay Kumar, 50, of New Bern, with Conspiracy to Unlawfully Dispense and Distribute Oxycodone, Oxymorphone, Hydromorphone, and Alprazolam; Distribution of Oxycodone and Alprazolam; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Engaging in Monetary Transactions in Property Derived from Specified Unlawful Activity; and Laundering of Monetary Instruments.
If convicted, the maximum penalties for each charged drug count are 20 years’ imprisonment; a $1 million fine; and a term of supervised release of not less than three years following any term of imprisonment.
The maximum penalties for Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime are no less than five years, up to life imprisonment, consecutive to any other sentence; a $250,000 fine; and up to three years supervised release following any term of imprisonment. A second or subsequent conviction for a firearms charge of this type carries a mandatory minimum term of 25 years imprisonment, consecutive to any other sentence.
The maximum penalties for each count of Engaging in Monetary Transactions in Property Derived from Specified Unlawful Activity are 10 years’ imprisonment; a $250,000 fine; and up to three years supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The maximum penalty for each count of Money Laundering is 20 years’ imprisonment; a $500,000 fine or twice the value of the property involved; and up to three years supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael C. Daniels stated, “The IRS - Criminal Investigation enforces the nation's tax laws, but also takes particular interest in cases where someone, for their own personal benefit, commits a crime and attempts to conceal the proceeds of that crime. This is an excellent example where our agents, with both law enforcement and financial investigation expertise, are uniquely qualified to assist state and federal law agencies by following the money.”
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the New Bern Police (NBPD), the Drug Enforcement (DEA), the Internal Revenue (IRS) Criminal Investigations, the State Bureau of (SBI), and the Craven County Sheriff’s Office.
The DEA encourages parents, along with their children, to educate themselves about the dangers of legal and illegal drugs by visiting DEA’s interactive websites at www.justThinktwice.com, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com and www.dea.gov.
