United States Drug Enforcement Administration

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Late yesterday, in federal court in Central Islip, an 18-count indictment was returned charging Dr. Roya Jafari-Hassad with illegal distribution of oxycodone and witness tampering. Hassad was arrested this morning and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Steven L. Tiscione. Breon...

MANHATTAN – Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today announced the indictments of nine individuals, including Tribeca physician Dr. Noel Smith, for charges including conspiring to distribute tens of thousands of prescription pills, including opioids and other controlled substances, in Manhattan and Staten Island. The defendants allegedly operated a...

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Dr. Omar Guesmia, of Phoenix, New York will pay $60,000 to resolve allegations that he, and his dentistry practice, “Gentle Dental Care,” violated the Controlled Substances Act by enabling an office staff member to use an electronic prescription system to obtain oxycodone for their own use...

ALBANY, NEW YORK – RGIS LLC (RGIS) and its affiliated company, Retail Services WIS Corporation (WIS), agreed to pay $158,760 to resolve allegations that they caused violations of the Controlled Substances Act. RGIS and WIS employees were implicated in the theft of controlled substances from pharmacies in upstate New York...

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Vivian Letizia, age 64, of Woodstock, New York, was sentenced today to one year of probation for acquiring and obtaining a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception or subterfuge. Letizia was also ordered to undergo drug treatment and pay a $5,000 fine. Letizia has also paid...

NEW YORK – Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York announced that Laurence F. Doud III, the former Chief Executive Officer of Rochester Drug Co-Operative, Inc. (RDC), was convicted today in Manhattan federal court of conspiring to distribute unlawfully, oxycodone and fentanyl, and conspiring...

BUFFALO, NY – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross and Timothy Foley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York Division, announced that Takeya Rainey, 45, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribution of, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and...