PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The ringleader of a group that created and filled fraudulent prescriptions for about 21,000 opioid pills has been sentenced to six years in prison.
Robert Rose was also sentenced Monday to five years of probation.
Federal prosecutors say the 52-year-old Providence man ran the ring that used stolen identities and medical practitioner identification numbers to create the fake prescriptions that were often fraudulently paid for with medical insurance. Most of the drugs were then sold to others for distribution on the streets.
Prosecutors say he even ran the scam while serving prison time on an unrelated matter.
He pleaded guilty in June to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute Oxycodone and aggravated identity theft.
In total, five people have pleaded guilty in the case.
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