Lodi Member Of All-Female Drug Ring Admits Selling Thousands Of Oxy Pills

LODI, N.J. -- A Lodi resident was one of four women who told a federal court judge Wednesday that they sold thousands of oxycodone pills obtained through prescriptions.

Oxy
Photo Credit: *Flickr user AKZOphoto*

Jerry DeMarco

04/18/2018 2:24 p.m.

Marie DeJulia, 42, admitted that she collected pills for sale from her co-conspirators: Michele Call, 63, and Nelida Rios, 55, of Flemington, NJ, and Call's daughter, 35-year-old Alicia Balaban of Wellington, FL.

All four pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Trenton to possession and conspiracy to sell the drug.

Balaban, the accused ringleader conspired with Call, Rios and others to secure prescriptions for oxycodone, which they filled at pharmacies in Flemington from April 2016 through December 2017, U.S. Attorney Chris Carpenito said.

Julia then collected thousands of the 30mg pills from Call and Rios's homes in Flemington and sold them, he said.

Carpenito credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Jersey Division with the investigation leading to the pleas, secured by Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle Alfonzo Walsman of his Health Care and Government Fraud Unit in Newark.

U.S. District Judge Freda Wolfson scheduled sentencing for Rios and Balaban for July 20 and for Call and DeJulia four days later.

Click here to follow Daily Voice Hackensack and receive free news updates.