A Texas pharmacist has been convicted again for illegal distribution of controlled substances, following a retrial in the Southern District of Texas. Hieu “Tom” Truong, aged 60, from Houston, was the lead pharmacist at S&S Pharmacy, which is no longer operating. During a span of 18 months, according to evidence presented at his trial, Truong, alongside his accomplices, unleashed more than 750,000 doses of controlled drugs into the hands of street-level dealers, highlighted by over half a million pills of powerfully addictive medications such as oxycodone and hydrocodone. The operation involved dispensing medication fraudulently, based on forged prescriptions, and significant cash transactions.
It was reported by the Department of Justice last Friday that Truong now faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each count of his conviction, which encompasses two counts of unlawfully distributing and dispensing controlled substances. He had been previously convicted in May 2022 before a Supreme Court decision, United States v. Ruan led to a successful appeal for a new trial. Truong's sentencing is slated for September 23, where a federal judge will determine the penalty within the framework of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and considering other statutory elements.
The investigative efforts that led to Truong's retrial and subsequent conviction included resources from the DEA's Houston Division, with additional support from local law enforcement agencies such as the Conroe Police Department, Houston Police Department, and the Harris County Constable’s Office. In a joint effort to address and dismantle the illegal distribution of pharmaceuticals, these agencies collaborated to bring to justice those profiting from the opioid epidemic plaguing communities.
Prosecutors Devon Helfmeyer, Monica Cooper, and Andrew Tamayo of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section carried the weight of the case, working diligently to argue the irrefutable evidence of Truong’s involvement in the unlawful operation. The Fraud Section is tasked with the key role, of confronting health care fraud across the nation through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. As delivery mechanisms for justice, this program has, since its inception in March 2007, charged individuals responsible for billing in excess of $24.7 billion fraudulently. In parallel, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, along with the HHS Office of the Inspector General, are committed to maximizing accountability for those complicit in healthcare fraud conspiracies.
