BOSTON (WHDH) - Three Bay State residents were among the dozens of people swept up in a massive operation aimed at taking down a drug trafficking operation authorities say was responsible for diverting more than 23 million Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, and Carisoprodol pills.
In total, 41 people have been charged in nine indictments for their alleged involvement in a network of “pill mill” clinics and pharmacies, according to a release issued Wednesday by the Department of Justice.
Those charged include medical providers, clinic owners and managers, pharmacists, pharmacy owners and managers as well as drug dealers and traffickers.
The charges allege participating doctors, medical professionals and pharmacies knew the prescriptions had no legitimate medical purpose and were outside the usual course of professional practice. In some cases, “crew leaders” and “runners” allegedly filled or had the individuals who posed as patients fill the illegal prescriptions at Houston-area pharmacies.
The owner and pharmacist in charge at one pill mill pharmacy allegedly dispensed the second-highest amount of oxycodone 30mg pills of all pharmacies in the entire State of Texas in 2019, and the ninth highest amount in the nation. One hundred percent of the oxycodone dispensed by this pharmacy – every single oxycodone pill that left the premises – was in the highest available dosage strength of that drug.
On certain occasions, the indictments allege that drug dealers and traffickers then allegedly diverted and distributed the controlled substances to the streets, with some pills trafficked from Houston to Boston.
Among those charged in the District of Massachusetts are:
Michael Spinola, 43, of Boston and Miami, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone; conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance; and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute marijuana.
Curly Kelly, 40, of Houston, Texas, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone; conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Jesus Castillo, 46, of the Dominican Republic, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone.
Marcos Rosa of Southbridge, Massachusetts, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and Russell Watkins, 53, of Brockton, Massachusetts, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute marijuana.
This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.
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