Michael Kent, 51, of Brooklyn, was sentenced today to nine years in federal prison for his role in a narcotics conspiracy involving fake patients, bribed pharmacists, and the distribution of oxycodone, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
Financial Penalties
U.S. District Judge Ann M. Donnelly also ordered Kent to forfeit $635,875 as part of the sentencing.
Operation Overview
Between December 2018 and October 2022, Kent and his co-defendants operated a drug ring from a medical practice on Linden Boulevard in East New York. They distributed over 11,000 oxycodone prescriptions, totaling 1.2 million pills, with a street value of $24 million.
Role in the Drug Ring
Kent’s criminal activities included recruiting 45 sham patients, who were prescribed over six kilograms of unnecessary oxycodone. He paid these individuals for their names, collected the drugs from bribed pharmacists, and then resold them to dealers. The proceeds were laundered through a shell company named “Michael’s Cleaning Service,” which he used to purchase three properties in New York City.
Arrest and Seizures
When arrested in October 2022, law enforcement recovered two loaded firearms from Kent’s home and seized thousands of dollars in cash.
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Impact of Oxycodone
According to the Mayo Clinic, oxycodone is a highly addictive opioid used to treat severe and chronic pain conditions. Prescription pills, such as the 30 mg oxycodone tablets involved in this case, are valuable on the black market, with a single tablet fetching between $20 and $30 in New York City.
Statements from Authorities
“The opioid epidemic has destroyed countless families and communities in our district, New York City, and across the country,” said Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, in a statement.
He added, “The proliferation of pill mill clinics, like the medical office involved in this case, significantly contributes to the opioid crisis. Today’s sentencing holds the defendant accountable for his role in callously diverting highly potent and addictive drugs from medical offices to the streets of New York.”
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