Attorney General Kane's office cuts off major source of supply of oxycodone

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1 Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2015 Attorney General Kane's office cuts off major source of supply of oxycodone Forgery ring visited 44 counties for $1.7 million worth of oxycodone pills PHILADELPHIA - Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane today announced charges against 22 individuals accused of running a sophisticated prescription drug forgery ring that operated in 44 of the Commonwealth's 67 counties. It is estimated the ring obtained more than 59,000 oxycodone pills using forged prescriptions and stolen information from physicians for a profit of $1.7 million. Kane said dozens of law enforcement agencies and 17 District Attorneys worked collaboratively with her office on the nearly two-year investigation. "Together we have dismantled a prescription drug ring that was a major source of supply in Philadelphia," Attorney General Kane said. "The diversion of prescription narcotics in the Commonwealth feeds addiction to even deadlier street drugs, like heroin, and every one of our partners joined the fight to save lives." She noted that nine out of 10 heroin addicts her office debriefs following investigations report that their addiction began with prescription drug abuse. The investigation began in February 2013 when agents from the Attorney General's office flagged a fraudulent oxycodone prescription filled in Lewistown, Mifflin County. Utilizing one of the most effective tools to combat prescription drug abuse, the prescription monitoring program, agents in each of the state's eight regions in the Bureau of Narcotics Investigations began a cooperative investigation with law enforcement, doctors and pharmacies to compare prescriptions. The trail of evidence led investigators to a Philadelphia-based drug ring and the case was put into a statewide investigating Grand Jury, which recommended the charges being filed today. In 22 months, approximately 550 fraudulent prescriptions were filled in 44 counties. The Grand Jury found that prescriptions were made using legitimate prescription paper and that the identities of more than 50 doctors across the Commonwealth were used by the suspected leader of the organization, Kevin Andrews Jr. Andrews paid cash to runners to purchase the narcotics and drove them to pharmacies as far away as Erie to ensure the operation's success and serve as the getaway driver, according to the Grand Jury. The Grand Jury found that Andrews coached associates buying the prescriptions, suggesting they look injured with slings or bandages and advising them on what might trigger suspicion so they could abandon the transaction. Directly below Andrews in the hierarchy of the organization were Raheem Hall, Zakee Hasan and Rondale Geter, who the Grand Jury found recruited and drove runners also.

2 A Rite Aid employee, Quiana Bostick, allegedly changed doctors' phone numbers in her employer's database to one central phone number answered by Andrews, who would "confirm" prescriptions for pharmacists calling to verify them. The handwriting on all fake prescriptions created by the organization, from instructions to word structure, was identical, according to the presentment. The Grand Jury found that identifications also were purchased or "leased" to be used for patient names. Ashley Sanders allegedly distributed oxycodone, and the other defendants charged today primarily served as runners in the organization. The cases will be prosecuted in Blair County by Senior Deputy Attorney General David Gorman and Senior Deputy Attorney General Pat Leonard. Below is a complete list of the defendants and the charges filed against them: -- Kevin Andrews Jr, 37, 505 Monticello Ave., Upper Chichester, Delaware County, is charged with: two counts of corrupt organizations, four counts of possession with the intent to deliver, four counts of acquisition or obtaining or possession of a controlled substance by -- Raheem Hall, 42, 124 N. 61st St., Philadelphia, is charged with: two counts of corrupt organizations, two counts of possession with the intent to deliver, two counts of acquisition or deception or subterfuge, one count criminal conspiracy to commit acquisition or obtaining or subterfuge, one count of forgery, one count of criminal use of a communication facility, one count of identity theft and one count of -- Gina M. Gallo, 27, 1434 Faunce St., Philadelphia, is charged with: one count of count of -- Rondale Malik Geter, Gibson Drive Apt. 3B, Philadelphia, is charged with: two counts of corrupt organizations, two counts of possession with the intent to deliver, one count of acquisition or obtaining or possession of a controlled substance by -- Eduardo Jimenez, 54, 905 Brill St., Philadelphia, is charged with: two counts of

3 fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge and one count of criminal conspiracy to commit fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge. -- Karen Joyce Leaf, 38, 534 Wesley Road, Springfield, Delaware County, is charged with: one count of acquisition or obtaining or possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge and two counts of criminal attempt acquisition or obtaining or possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge. -- Juan Lopez, 60, 5340 Kingsessing Ave., Philadelphia, is charged with: one count of fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge and one count of criminal conspiracy to commit fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge. -- Ashley Constance Sanders, 28, 309 West Louden St., Philadelphia, is charged with: two counts of corrupt organizations, four counts of possession with the intent to deliver, four counts of acquisition or obtaining or possession of a controlled substance by -- Zakee Fateem Hasan, 38, 8031 Temple Road, Philadelphia, is charged with: two counts of corrupt organizations, two counts of possession with the intent to deliver, two counts of fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge, one count of criminal conspiracy to commit fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge, one count of forgery, one count of criminal use of a communication facility, one count of identity theft and one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities. -- Melissa Marie Snyder, 32, 67 N. 63rd St., Philadelphia, is charged with: two counts of corrupt organizations, one count of possession with the intent to deliver, one count of fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge, one count of criminal conspiracy to commit: fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge, three counts of criminal attempt acquisition or facility, one count of identity theft and one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity. -- Joanna M. Janiszewski, 30, address unknown, is charged with: two counts of corrupt organizations, one count of possession with the intent to deliver, one count of acquisition or

4 facility, one count of identity theft, one count of -- Jennifer A. Freeman, 27, Lehigh County Prison, is charged with: one count of possession with the intent to deliver, two counts of acquisition or obtaining or possession of a controlled -- Terrance Hart, 40, Somerset County Jail, is charged with: two counts of corrupt organizations, one count of possession with the intent to deliver, two counts of acquisition or deception or subterfuge, one count of criminal attempt: acquisition or obtaining or subterfuge, one count of forgery, one count of criminal use of a communication facility, one count of identity theft and one count of -- Howard A Hill, 58, SCI Chester, is charged with: five counts of acquisition or obtaining or subterfuge and one count of criminal conspiracy to commit acquisition or obtaining or subterfuge. -- Thomas Herbert Jones, 48, Northumberland County Prison, is charged with: two counts of corrupt organizations, one count of possession with the intent to deliver, three counts of fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge, one count of criminal conspiracy to commit: fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge, four counts of criminal attempt: acquisition or facility, one count of identity theft and one count of -- Albert Boykin, 50, Centre County Prison, is charged with: one count of possession with the intent to deliver, one count of acquisition or obtaining or possession of a controlled -- Dalia Torres, 44, Blair County Prison, is charged with: one count of possession with the intent to deliver, one count of acquisition or obtaining or possession of a controlled

5 -- Kandice M. Leonard, 31, Blair County Prison, is charged with: one count of possession with the intent to deliver, one count of acquisition or obtaining or possession of a controlled TO BE SENT BY SUMMONS: --Quiana Renee Bostick, 35, 5148 Baynton St., Philadelphia, is charged with 32 counts of forgery. SUBJECTS SCHEDULED TO TURN THEMSELVES IN BY APPOINTMENT ON A FUTURE DATE: --Lisette M. Ng, 40, 5128 Folsom St., Philadelphia, is charged with: one count of count of --William Allen Nace, 24, 2010 Longshore Ave., Philadelphia, is charged with: one count of count of --Deyanna Naphisa Bowen, 30, 58 Sayers Ave., Lansdown, Montgomery County, is charged with: one count of possession with the intent to deliver, one count of acquisition or deception or subterfuge and one count of (A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty.) # # # EDITOR'S NOTE: Grand jury presentment and photos of the defendants. Media contact: Carolyn E. Myers, , cmyers@attorneygeneral.gov