United States Drug Enforcement Administration

PHOENIX, Ariz. -  The Drug Enforcement (DEA) and Homeland Security (HSI) executed multiple search and arrest warrants today, closing two valley pharmacies and arresting a pharmacist as part of an ongoing OCDETF-designated investigation.  On June 28, 2017, agents obtained an indictment from a federal grand jury charging pharmacist Vilawoe Aku Boadu, 38, with distributing controlled substances, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, alprazolam, and promethazine with codeine.  As a result of today’s operation, Boadu voluntarily surrendered her DEA registration and DEA agents took possession of the controlled substances.  

“The diversion of legitimate prescription medication is partially to blame for the deadly epidemic of opioid addiction throughout the country,” said Doug Coleman, Special Agent in Charge of DEA in Arizona.  “DEA will continue to take aggressive action against those people and organizations responsible for trafficking in these powerful substances, especially those who have been legally entrusted with them and choose to break the law.”

Today’s enforcement operation consisted of a total of eight simultaneously executed warrants throughout the Phoenix metro area, including three businesses.  Agents seized 13 handguns, three rifles and a shotgun, several bank accounts and nearly $200,000 in cash and assets as well as several vehicles including a Mercedes-Benz.  Other subjects arrested today include Michael Karron Holley, 31; Ber Rhondi Patrice Funn-McKinley, 32; and Julian Thomas Petty, 27.  

“This criminal organization distributed dangerous and highly addictive controlled narcotics throughout our communities, illegal profiting from the suffering of others,” said Scott Brown, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security (HSI) in Phoenix. “Their actions make them no different than the street-corner drug pushers. Today’s arrests should stand as a reminder to others that we will continue our joint law enforcement efforts to ensure that people in positions of trust will no longer add to the growing opioid epidemic.” 

The coordinated enforcement operation was supported by additional enforcement personnel from DEA and HSI, as well as the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, Glendale Police Department, and Surprise Police Department.  This case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.