Two Defendants Sentenced In Opioid Pill Mill Case
DALLAS, Texas - Lee Robertson, 33, and Tasmin Stewart, a/k/a “Taz,” 30, both of Baton Rouge, Louisiana were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sidney A. Fitzwater stemming from their involvement in a “pill mill” operation, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Judge Fitzwater sentenced Robertson to 84 months in federal prison following his guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, namely, Oxycodone in October 2016. Stewart was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison following his guilty plea to one count of unlawful use of a communication device in April 2016. Both defendants have been in custody since their arrests.
In March 2015, a federal grand jury in Dallas indicted 23 individuals, including Stewart, on offenses related to his participation in a prescription drug distribution conspiracy. Robertson was charged in January 2016 by a superseding indictment. The indictment alleged that from at least May 2013 through July 2014, the defendants participated in a scheme to illicitly obtain prescriptions for pain medications, such as oxycodone and hydrocodone, and then distribute those controlled substances for profit. As part of the conspiracy, individuals, often homeless or of limited means, were recruited and paid to pose as patients at medical clinics, including the McAllen Medical Clinic in Dallas, to obtain prescriptions and to fill those prescriptions at designated pharmacies.
The prescription medications were then distributed like street drugs in Texas and Louisiana.
According to plea documents filed for Stewart, on October 21, 2013, Stewart made a telephone call to confirm that he wanted 30mg oxycodone pills and would be ready to meet a courier arriving from Dallas with the pills. Stewart intended to distribute these pills to his own customers.
According to documents filed for Robertson, on February 27, 2014, Robertson contacted co-conspirator and supplier Cornelius Robinson seeking 30mg oxycodone pills. Robertson offered to buy all the pills Robinson had for $16.00 per pill. Robinson responded by telling Robertson that he was waiting on an individual to arrive from Dallas with approximately 700 pills. On March 3, 2014, Robertson agreed to buy 500 30mg oxycodone pills from Robinson.
This Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task (OCDETF) was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Louisiana State Police, the Grand Prairie Police Department, the Dallas Police Department, the Houston Police Department, the Arlington Police Department, the Greenville Police Department, the Parker County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshal’s Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Diplomatic Security Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Walters prosecuted.
