United States Drug Enforcement Administration

TRENTON, N.J. - Carl J. Kotowski, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Jersey Division, and William E. Fitzpatrick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey announced a Belleville, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 41 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to illegally obtain and distribute oxycodone in New Jersey.

Rickie Horvath, 56, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas to an indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone. Judge Salas imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court. In addition to the prison term, Judge Salas sentenced Horvath to three years of supervised release.

Using confidential sources, physical surveillance, and recorded text messages and telephone calls, investigators with the DEA discovered that members and suppliers of a drug-trafficking organization secured prescriptions for oxycodone and other controlled substances from various doctors in New Jersey, filled them at pharmacies in Belleville and elsewhere, and sold the drugs for a profit. The investigation identified Horvath as a member of the drug trafficking organization.

Horvath admitted that from February 5, 2014 to August 13, 2014, he personally went to various doctors’ offices and obtained prescriptions for pills containing oxycodone, had the prescriptions filled, and sold the pills to members of the conspiracy and others.

Of the 16 people that have been charged in this conspiracy, 13 have been convicted, including the leader, Victoria Horvath, who was sentenced October 20, 2016 to 92 months in prison. Charges against a defendant who died in April 2014 have been dismissed.

Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited the DEA’s New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Carl J. Kotowski, with the investigation.