United States Drug Enforcement Administration

STATESVILLE, N.C. - U.S. District Court Judge Richard Voorhees sentenced today Elisa Annette Baker, 44, of Hickory, N.C., to serve 120 months in prison for conspiracy with intent to distribute prescription drugs, announced Anne M. Tompkins, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Baker was also ordered to serve three years under court supervision once she serves her prison term.

U.S. Attorney Tompkins is joined in making today’s announcement by Harry S. Sommers, Special Agent in (SAC) of the Atlanta Field (AFD) of the Drug Enforcement (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office; Greg McLeod, Director of the North Carolina State Bureau of (SBI); and Chief Tom Adkins of the Hickory Police Department.

According to filed documents and court proceedings, from 2006 to October 2010, Baker conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute the controlled substances oxycodone, hydrocodone and alprazolam. Baker also maintained residences in Granite Falls, Hudson and Hickory, N.C. for the purpose of distributing the prescription drugs. According to plea documents and today’s sentencing hearing, Baker possessed approximately 12,000 dosage units of oxycodone, 10,000 dosage units of hydrocodone, and 29,000 dosage units of alprazolam. Filed documents indicate that Baker distributed prescription drugs to one of the co-conspirators, a relative, and several of his high school friends when he was 16 years old.

According to court documents, Baker obtained the prescription drugs through multiple prescriptions from physicians and from other unidentified sources in Catawba County. In January 2012, Baker pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

Baker is currently serving an 18-year state sentence for second degree murder in the death of Zahra Baker. At today’s sentencing hearing, Judge Voorhees ordered that Baker completes her state sentence before she begins serving her federal sentence. Federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole.

The investigation was handled by the DEA, NC SBI and the Hickory Policy Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Dana O. Washington and Cortney S. Escaravage.

SAC Sommers of the DEA AFD 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.