United States Drug Enforcement Administration

MINEOLA, N.Y. – Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly, Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder and Drug Enforcement Administration New York Division Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III announced the arrest of a Florida man who allegedly commandeered the e-prescribing privileges of multiple doctors to issue thousands of narcotic prescriptions. 

Devin Anthony Magarian, 21, from Kissimmee, Florida, was arraigned on January 17, 2024, before Judge Arieh Schulman on charges of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree (an A-I felony), two counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree (a B felony), Criminal Diversion of Prescription Medication and Prescriptions in the Second Degree (a D felony) and 15 counts of Criminal Diversion of Prescription Medication and Prescriptions in the Fourth Degree (an A misdemeanor). The defendant faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. The defendant’s remand was continued today after an appearance in the felony screening part of county court. He is due back in court on February 5, 2024.

“This is one the most complex and technologically sophisticated drug operations we’ve ever witnessed,” said DA Donnelly. “We learned that Devin Anthony Magarian and his associates are part of a wide-ranging conspiracy in which they surreptitiously commandeered the e-prescribing credentials of doctors. The defendant and his associates then used those compromised accounts to issue and fill tens of thousands of prescriptions for narcotics and other controlled substances in Nassau County and multiple states. This is an active investigation, and we thank our partners at the Nassau County Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the New York State Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, and authorities in Florida for their work on this case.” 

DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino stated: “This investigation was a case of modern day piracy; criminals stealing digital prescription pads to divert medication that put hundreds of thousands of people at risk. Law enforcement acted swiftly to fully identify this elaborate criminal conspiracy operating through online illicit drug sales and interstate trafficking to shut it down. This case is a prime example that drug traffickers will stop at nothing in order to make a profit. Opioids, like fentanyl or diverted prescription medication like oxycodone, have become insipid killers who crept into the illicit drug supply and took user demand by storm resulting in 80% of all drug-related deaths. I applaud our law enforcement partners on their diligent work and commend the DEA Diversion team from the DEA Long Island District Office.”

DA Donnelly said that in February 2023 an unnamed defendant was arrested outside of a Great Neck pharmacy after picking up two prescriptions that were not in his name. After an extensive investigation, it was determined that the unnamed defendant was in contact with Devin Anthony Magarian, a Florida resident. 

Magarian is allegedly a leader in an elaborate, multi-state conspiracy that has fraudulently compromised the e-prescribing credentials of doctors throughout the United States and then used those credentials to issue tens of thousands of prescriptions for narcotics across the country. Magarian typically used the privileges to create prescriptions for Oxycodone, and Promethazine and Codeine, a common cough syrup that is abused by drug users.

As part of the scheme, associates of Magarian, or runners, picked up prescriptions at pharmacies in multiple states. The prescriptions were typically issued in fictitious names and sent to both chain and mom-and-pop pharmacies. 

The defendant allegedly operated a channel on the Telegram mobile app that served as an advertisement board. Magarian allegedly let his customers know when the next round of prescriptions – via a compromised doctor’s e-prescribing privileges – was coming, so that they could place their orders. The defendant allegedly referred to these moments as “portals.” 

Customers allegedly messaged Magarian directly to purchase from the defendant either prescriptions – which the customer would then be responsible for filling themselves – or actual controlled substances, including Oxycodone, and Promethazine and Codeine.

The defendant was arrested by members of the Nassau County Police Department in New York City on January 17, 2024. 

Magarian was in the New York area to receive approximately $14,000 from a single individual who was picking up prescriptions for Oxycodone allegedly at the defendant’s direction. The money was compensation for a total of seven prescriptions of Oxycodone 30 mg, each of which contained 90 tablets, for a total of 630 pills. 

The investigation is ongoing. 

The Nassau County District Attorney’s office thanks the Nassau County Police Department, the DEA New York Division, the DEA Orlando District Office – Tactical Diversion Squad, the New York State Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, and the Orange County and Osceola County Sheriffs’ Office in Florida.

The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Chief Brian Rodriguez of the Narcotics, Firearms & Gangs Bureau. Magarian is represented by Douglas Rankin, Esq.   

The charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty.