Subscribe
67°
NY Native Doctor Flooded Patients With 20K Oxycodone Pills In Health Care Fraud Scheme: DOJ
A physician forced patients into taking unwanted “Goody Bags” of drugs to get prescriptions, flooding them with oxycodone and defrauding health care plans out of millions, federal prosecutors said.
Neil K. Anand, M.D., 48, most recently of Bensalem, PA, but originally from Albany, NY, was convicted in April 2025 of conspiring to commit health care fraud, wire fraud, and the unlawful distribution of controlled substances. On Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Evidence at trial showed Anand and his conspirators require…
‘Route Boys’ Leader Behind Tri-State Pharmacy Raids, Jail Stabbing Gets 22 Years
A man who led a violent, drug-dealing burglary crew known as the “Route Boys” will spend over two decades in federal prison.
Jason Liriano, 25, of Brooklyn–also known as “jay bigfella”–was sentenced to 22 years behind bars in Central Islip federal court on Tuesday, April 29. It followed his September 2023 guilty plea to drug trafficking and firearms charges.
Tuesday’s sentencing marked the final chapter in a wide-reaching crime spree that spanned New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
Liriano founded the Route Boys gang, which committed more than 100 break-ins at pharmacies, bodegas, chec…
Duo Caught Smuggling Kilos Of Cocaine, Oxycodone Across State Lines In Hudson Valley: Sheriff
Two Massachusetts men are facing major drug charges after authorities say they were caught transporting cocaine and oxycodone through Putnam County, authorities announced.
The arrests were made on Wednesday, April 9 around 6:40 p.m., when deputies with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Narcotics Enforcement Unit pulled over a vehicle in the Town of Southeast, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office announced on Friday, April 25.
During the stop, deputies discovered that the vehicle’s occupants, identified as Joshua Rosario-Pabon, 22, of Holyoke, and Christopher Colon-Diaz, 25, of Springfield, ha…
Man Tosses Pills, Bag Of Drugs From Car While Fleeing Officers In Westchester: Police
A 41-year-old man is facing multiple felony drug charges after leading troopers on a brief chase on the Thruway in Westchester County, during which he allegedly threw drugs from his car, authorities said.
The incident began on Tuesday, March 4, at around 9:52 p.m., when troopers pulled over a gray Toyota Corolla on the Thruway in Ardsley for a cell phone violation, New York State Police announced on Thursday, March 6.
According to police, the driver, Queens resident Rafael Balbi, suddenly sped away, prompting a short pursuit that lasted less than a mile. During the chase, Balbi …
Westchester Doctor Admits To Prescribing Over 100K Oxycodone Pills Knowing They'd Be Resold
A Westchester County doctor could spend decades in prison after admitting that he illegally prescribed opioid pills knowing they’d be resold on the street.
Marc Laruelle, age 65, of Yonkers, pleaded guilty to one count of distributing Oxycodone, amphetamines, and Xanax in federal court in Manhattan Wednesday, Oct. 19.
Prosecutors said Laruelle, a licensed psychiatrist, illegally prescribed more than 100,000 doses of Oxycodone “outside of the usual course of professional practice” between September 2016 and October 2021.
Highly potent and addictive, the drug often commands a high price in …
Hudson Valley Man Charged With Illegally Distributing More Than 1.2M Oxycodone Pills
A Hudson Valley man was one of eight people charged in federal court with conspiracy to distribute more than 1.2 million oxycodone pills.
Orange County resident Anthony Mathis, age 55, of New Windsor, was indicted on Wednesday, Oct. 12, in a 10-count indictment along with a Brooklyn doctor, office manager, and two pharmacists.
According to Breon Peace, US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, the group allegedly operated a drug distribution ring from a medical office in Brooklyn.
From December 2018 to October, the group unlawfully distributed more than 11,000 prescriptions for oxy…
Dentist In Hudson Valley Admits To Fraudulently Obtaining Oxycodone For Her Own Use
A dentist from the Hudson Valley has pleaded guilty to obtaining oxycodone for her own use.
Ulster County resident Vivian Letizia, age 63, of Stone Ridge, made the plea on Friday, April 15, according to US Attorney Carla Freedman.
In pleading guilty, Letizia admitted that, in December 2019, she fraudulently submitted a prescription for oxycodone for one of her dentistry patients using that patient’s name and date of birth, the US Attorney's Office said.
Letizia then obtained the oxycodone from a pharmacy in Woodstock, for her own consumption. At the time Letizia submitted the prescription …
Nypd Officer Among Trio Charged In Drug Distribution Ring
An NYPD officer and two co-conspirators, all from Long Island, are facing charges for their alleged roles in a drug trafficking scheme, authorities announced.
Officer Joseph Recca, 28, of West Islip, and two others were arraigned on Wednesday, July 22, Suffolk County officials said. They were arrested the day prior during a traffic stop.
Recca, Michael Sosa, of Brentwood, and Michael Corbett, of West Islip, are facing charges that include conspiracy, drug sales, and drug possession.
Additionally, Recca was charged with unauthorized use of a computer and official misconduct for allegedly r…
Westchester Trio Nabbed In Major Drug Ring Takedown
Three Westchester County men have been indicted on charges they operated a complex drug-dealing operation that sent tractor-trailer loads of drugs across the country.
Giovanny Arias, Victor Salazar, and Hector Maren, all of White plains, are three of 11 people indicted following a two-year investigation, said the Queens Acting District Attorney John Ryan.
According to the DA's office, the ring used long-haul truckers to transport carfentanil -- a substance 100 times more deadly than fentanyl -- in addition to heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, ketamine, and tramadol across the country.
One of the…
Carmel Man Caught With Oxycodone, Amphetamine, Concentrated Cannabis, Putnam Sheriff Says
A man in possession of a host of drugs is behind bars after he was busted by members of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department.
On Thursday, June 6, deputies with the Sheriff’s Department Narcotics Enforcement Unit were on patrol in a parking lot in Carmel when they spotted a suspicious van with a man sitting inside.
Further investigation into the man and the van found that he was in possession of varying quantities of Oxycodone, Amphetamine, and Concentrated Cannabis, and he was taken into custody.
The 44-year-old man, whose name was not released, was arrested and transported to the Putna…
Four Major Drug Traffickers Taken Down, 25 Others Arrested During Raids In Area
In a dramatic movie-style series of raids, a total of 29 people were arrested Tuesday during a drug enforcement action dubbed "Operation Bread, White and Blues."
The bust went down early Tuesday morning as members of the DEA, FBI, the New York State Police, and the Orange County Sheriff's Office, raided several locations, including an Orange County firehouse in the City of Middletown in which one of the main dealers was an acting fire lieutenant, said Trooper Steven Nevel.
Of the 29 arrested, three have been charged with the felony operating as a major trafficker, including the lieutenant, …
Westchester Couple Busted Selling Ecstasy To Undercover Detectives
A Westchester couple sold Ecstasy to undercover Bergen County prosecutor’s detectives who busted them, authorities said Friday.
Daniel Velasquez, a 32-year-old furniture distribution supervisor, and Kayla Grace Raffaele, 18, both of New Rochelle, became targets in June after detectives received a tip, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo said.
On July 25, Velasquez sold 25 Ecstasy pills to an undercover investigator in Paramus, Calo said. Five days later, Raffaele – accompanied by Velasquez -- sold 70 more in Hackensack, the prosecutor said.
Both were then immediately arrested, he s…
