Nine local men and women have pleaded guilty for their roles in a conspiracy to “fraudulently obtain and sell approximately 9,000 oxycodone pills in Hampton Roads,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
According to court documents, from February to September 2017, Deonte Farrow and Quentia Fields led a conspiracy to fraudulently get Oxycodone pills from various pharmacies in the Hampton Roads area “for the purpose of selling the pills on the streets for a profit.”
Farrow and Fields manufactured and drafted prescriptions for Oxycodone pills from their home computers and printers, using the name and DEA registration numbers of real physicians, without the physician’s knowledge. The pair then worked with co-conspirators, Harvey Williams, Lucion Liles and Quanisha Platt, to recruit ‘runners’ such as Tynasia Smith, Travis Smith, Juan Ramirez, and Tykeiah Benn, who would take the prescriptions to various pharmacies in the Tidewater area to be filled, prosecutors said.
Platt, who had worked in several pharmacies, knew how to draft a prescription so that it looked legitimate to a pharmacy. The runners either were paid in money or given a quantity of the Oxycodone pills for their services.
The listed patient on the written prescriptions were either the name of a co-conspirator or the name of some other real person, sometimes without that person’s knowledge.
In total, approximately 20 physicians’ names and DEA registration numbers were used on the fraudulent prescriptions without the doctor’s knowledge.
“The drug dealing activities of Farrow and Fields have caused direct harm in the Tidewater community,” Scott W. Hoernke, acting special agent in charge for DEA’s Washington Field Division.
The investigation was conducted by the Richmond Tactical Diversion Squad, in cooperation with the Chesapeake, Norfolk and Virginia Beach Police departments:
- Deonte Farrow 28, Norfolk – maximum penalty of 20 years. Sentencing : Aug. 14.
- Tynasia Smith 22, Chesapeake – maximum penalty of 20 years. Sentencing: Nov. 5.
- Quentia Fields 27, Norfolk – maximum penalty of 20 years. Sentencing: Nov. 5.
- Travis Smith 31, Norfolk – maximum penalty of 20 years. Sentencing: Sept. 11.
- Harvey Williams 27, Chesapeake – maximum penalty of 20 years. Sentencing: Sept. 10.
- Lucion Liles 28, Norfolk – maximum penalty of 20 years. Sentencing: July 31.
- Quanisha Platt 24, Norfolk – maximum penalty of 20 years. Sentencing: July 30.
- Juan Ramirez 31, Norfolk – maximum penalty of 20 years. Sentencing: July 30.
- Tykeiah Benn 27, Norfolk – maximum penalty of 20 years. Sentencing: Sept. 10.
Each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obtain oxycodone by fraud and to distribute oxycodone.
“Prosecuting opioid related crimes is one of our top priorities,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District. “The resources and collaborative efforts used to investigate and prosecute this case are proof positive of the impact of federal, state, and local cooperation. The Eastern District will remain steadfast in its pursuit of those who spread this poison in our communities.”
