News
Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 30, 2010
Contact: Special Agent Douglas S. Collier, M.A.
Number: (973) 776-1143
DEA
New Jersey Division’s Tactical
Diversion Squad
Executes: Operation Oxymoron
APR 7 -- (NEWARK) – JOHN G. McCABE, Jr., the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New Jersey Division joined Chief John U. Holland of the Nutley Police Department, Sheriff Armando Fontoura of the Essex County Sheriff’s Office and Acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert D. Laurino to announce the arrests of 19 defendants in Operation Oxymoron.
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Acting SAC John G. McCabe, Jr. opening remarks during the DEA NJ Press Conference – Operation Oxymoron |
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Eight individuals were arrested and charged with federal drug offenses as authorities dismantled an oxycodone distribution ring supplied by Vincent Hsia, the registered “pharmacist-in-charge” and proprietor of Lincoln Pharmacy Network, located in Edison, New Jersey. Hsia was arrested yesterday morning at his residence. Fourteen additional individuals were charged by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office in connection with the case.
The federal Criminal Complaint, unsealed April 6, 2010, charges the following individuals with conspiracy to distribute and to dispense oxycodone:
- Vincent Hsia, 50, Flemington, New Jersey;
- Jason Caracappa, 30, Manalapan, New Jersey;
- Pasquale Pugliese, 34, Kenilworth, New Jersey;
- Marc Calabria, 31, Nutley, New Jersey;
- Keith Thompson, 31, Newark, New Jersey;
- Thomas Giaimo, 27, Nutley, New Jersey;
- John Dechiara, 19, Edison, New Jersey; and
- Michael Caviness, 49, Newark, New Jersey.
John G. McCabe, Acting Special Agent in Charge, stated “The TDS is committed to constant vigilance in its effort to reduce the amount of highly addictive legal medications that are being sold illegally and for profit motive. We have an obligation to protect the public from rogue pharmacies and eliminate their illegal activities.”
Oxycodone, the active ingredient in brand name pills such as Oxycontin and Roxycodone, is a Schedule II controlled substance, meaning that it has a high potential for abuse, its currently accepted use is severely restricted, and abuse of the drug may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence. Oxycodone increasingly has been linked to addiction and overdose, with more than 11,000 deaths attributed to oxycodone abuse in 2006, the latest figures available.
Since at least as early as October 2007, Hsia is alleged to have filled prescriptions for more than 45,000 oxycodone pills despite knowledge that those prescriptions were not issued by a practitioner in the usual course of professional practice or for a legitimate medical purpose. The nature and scope of the conspiracy alleged in the Complaint, however, is even more extensive; in 2009 alone, Lincoln Pharmacy purchased nearly 480,000 dosage units of oxycodone products. That number exceeds, by more than 600%, the average of 78,817 dosage units of oxycodone purchased in 2009 by 1,966 pharmacies statewide.
For example, the Complaint alleges that Hsia not only supplied Caracappa, Pugliese, Calabria, Thompson and Caviness with oxycodone pills, but also provided his co-conspirators with specific instruction as to how the prescriptions were to be completed so as to disguise their fraudulent nature and provide cover for the ongoing scheme. Dechiara, an employee of Lincoln Pharmacy, is alleged to have participated in the conspiracy by facilitating communications and transactions with Hsia in exchange for “kick-backs” of oxycodone pills and prescription blanks. Finally, Giaimo is alleged to have served as a redistributor of oxycodone pills for Calabria.
In connection with the federal arrests, authorities executed search warrants on Lincoln Pharmacy and two additional businesses owned by Hsia, Express Laundry World, LLC, located in Maplewood, and Sudz Wash & Fold, Inc., located in Somerville, New Jersey. Searches were also executed at Hsia’s residence in Flemington and at the residences of four of the co-defendants. Finally, seizure warrants were executed on a number of bank accounts associated with Hsia and his businesses. In connection with the search and seizure warrants, authorities recovered three firearms, quantities of oxycodone pills, fraudulent prescriptions and prescription blanks, anabolic steroids, and amounts of U.S. currency totaling in excess of approximately $500,000.00.
Seven of the federally-charged defendants were presented yesterday in Newark federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Michael A. Shipp. Caracappa is scheduled to be presented before Judge Shipp today at 2:00 p.m.
The investigation was led by DEA’s Tactical Diversion Squad (comprised of DEA Special Agents and Diversion Investigators, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agents, and Newark and Elizabeth New Jersey Police Officers), in partnership with the Nutley New Jersey Police Department and the Essex County Sheriff’s Office. Also providing assistance to the investigation were the DEA Special Operations Division, DEA Digital Evidence Lab - SFL9, Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division, and the United States Marshals Service.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony J. Mahajan in Newark, New Jersey.
Today,
in the early morning hours, 11 state arrests
warrants were executed on the following defendants
charged with state violations regarding this
criminal organization.
STATE ARRESTS:
1. Angelo “Andy” CIFELLI, Nutley, NJ
2. Gary CROSS, Roseland, NJ
3. Wayne CROSS, Nutley, NJ
4. Carmen LORE, Nutley, NJ
5. Matthew LYPOWY, Nutley, NJ
6. Ryan OTSKEY, Lyndhurst, NJ
7. Lloyd RICKETTS, Jr., West Orange, NJ
8. Gerald ROCKEFELLER, Jr., West Orange, NJ
9. Sammy SALFINO, Nutley, NJ
10. Darren STABILE, Nutley, NJ
11. Michael WILLIAMS, Bloomfield, NJ
The following defendants are at large. If you have any information regarding their whereabouts, please contact Nutley Police Department Detective Bureau at 973-284-4938.
• Anthony CASTELLANO, Belleville, NJ
• Marco IANNITELLI, Belleville, NJ
• Charles “Mafis” ROBERTS, Newark, NJ
DEA
New Jersey Division’s Tactical Diversion
Squad (TDS):
Drug Enforcement Administration
Elizabeth Police Department
Essex County Sheriff’s Office
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Newark Police Department
Nutley Police Department
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Assisting
Agencies:
DEA Special Operations Division
DEA Digital Evidence Lab (SFL9)
Essex County Prosecutor’s Office
Internal Revenue Service – CID
United States Marshal’s Service
Notwithstanding the criminal complaint, every
defendant is presumed innocent unless and until found
guilty beyond a reasonable doubt following a trial
at which the defendant has all of the trial rights
guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and federal law.
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