Long Island Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Prescription Drug Diversion Scheme

 

Hempstead Man Used Forged Paper Prescriptions to Illegally Obtain Oxycodone and Other Drugs That Were Resold at Street Level

At the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Trevor Lawry was sentenced by United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack to 96 months in prison for orchestrating a yearslong conspiracy to divert Oxycodone and other prescription medications from a Hempstead pharmacy into the illicit market. 

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino, III, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Naomi Gruchacz, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Regional Office, Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, announced the sentence.

“While communities across the country reeled from an opioid epidemic, this defendant operated an elaborate scheme that illegally diverted huge quantities of prescription medications into the hands of drug users, including people struggling with addiction,” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “This Office will continue doing its part to find and hold responsible individuals at all levels of the illegal supply chain who contribute to the scourge of opioids in this District.” 

United States Attorney Peace thanked the New York State Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, the New York City Human Resources Administration, the New York Police Department, and the Nassau County Police Department for their significant contributions to the investigation.

DEA New York Division Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino stated “For two years, Lawry spearheaded a diverted prescription drug trafficking conspiracy using forged prescriptions, putting profits above public health. This sentencing stands as a testament to our commitment in combatting the scourge of opioids being sold on the street, and those responsible for selling them.”

“HHS-OIG is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to combat the illegal distribution of controlled substances to patients enrolled in HHS programs,” stated Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “The defendants in this drug trafficking organization are being held responsible for wantonly disregarding responsible prescribing practices, seemingly exploiting the opioid epidemic affecting our communities.”

As set forth in court filings, between February 2018 and March 2020, Lawry headed a drug trafficking organization that used forged paper prescription forms—sourced from stolen prescription pads—to obtain large quantities of several controlled substances that are commonly diverted for recreational use:  Oxycodone, Adderall, Alprazolam (also known as “Xanax”), and Promethazine with Codeine syrup.  During the relevant time period, more than 500 fraudulent prescriptions for these medications were filled at D.R.A. Pharmakon, Inc. d/b/a D’s Pharmacy (D’s Pharmacy) in Hempstead, where one of Lawry’s co-conspirators worked as a pharmacist.  In total, the conspiracy involved nearly a kilogram’s worth of stolen prescription medication, which Lawry and his co-conspirators then advertised for sale on social media and eventually sold at street level.