In a sweeping case against illegal drug distribution, two pharmacists and a street narcotics dealer have faced the gavel for their contributions to the opioid epidemic in New York. Mohamed Hassan and Yousef Ennab, both licensed pharmacists, along with Anthony Mathis, a drug dealer, were sentenced to prison for their roles in a scheme distributing oxycodone. According to a press release from the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York, the pharmacists were convicted in February and received prison terms this week, with Hassan receiving 18 years, and Ennab 30 months. Mathis was sentenced to 36 months.
These sentences came after authorities uncovered a complex operation involving over 1.6 million pills of oxycodone that found their way onto the streets. The pharmacists were tied to numerous pharmacies across Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island, and were filling prescriptions from a Brooklyn-based medical practice known to be a "pill mill." These 30-day supplies of oxycodone 30 mg, a strength typically reserved for patients with serious ailments, often cancer, were ending in the hands of dealers and users rather than legitimate patients. The United States Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr. pointed to greed as the driving force behind these actions, stating, "The corrupt pharmacists who filled illegitimate oxycodone prescriptions to supply drug dealers, acted out of pure greed and complete disregard for the harm they were causing," as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The investigation and subsequent trial unveiled the depth of the drug trafficking ring, including stolen identities used to fill prescriptions and a collaboration with additional drug dealers, like Mathis, who recruited people to act as patients. An overarching disregard for ethical practice was outlined by various law enforcement officials. DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, noted that the pharmacists “betrayed their profession, their communities, and the public’s trust,” and emphasized the DEA's commitment to holding individuals accountable regardless of their professional stature, as noted by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Hassan, whose ownership interests included approximately 20 pharmacies operating under various names, and Ennab, supervising pharmacist at one of these locations, have also been ordered to pay forfeiture amounts linked to the illegal operations. Mathis and Ennab's payments have been set at $535,989.12 and $13,472.76, respectively. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr. from the IRS-CI New York affirmed their punishment, saying, "Today’s sentencing was made possible with the collaborative efforts of our federal and local partners, and now each will finally see the full consequences of their criminal behavior."
The prosecution of this case was spearheaded by Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Zuckerwise, Victor Zapana, and Gilbert M. Rein, with additional support provided by former Paralegal Specialists Rachel Friedman and Nadya Osman, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Claire Kedeshian handling forfeiture matters.
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