Criminal Charges against Major Drug Distribution Company for Opioid Crisis

This, however, would be the first persecution of drugs distribution companies allegedly responsible for the circulation of narcotics and other suspicious drugs. Over time, these companies have been accused on different occasions for their deliberate act in circulating drugs that boost opioid crisis and it likes for bonus profit.”

The former chief executive and another executive of Rochester Drug Co-operative, a major drug distribution company has been charged for violating the fight against the opioid crisis.

The company is the sixth major drug distribution company in the U.S, according to the New York Times, was charged on the 16 of April 2019 for conspiracy of willfully circulating illegal drugs for extra profit; thereby, violating the United States narcotics law and defrauding the U.S. The company also, failed to report suspicious numerous order of opioids (oxycodone and fentanyl), on a larger scale. Whereas, the main persons involved in this criminal act, Laurence Doud III, 75 and William Pietruszewski, 53, both got charged with life in prison.

Pietruszewski, 53, had an early appearance in court on Friday, 19th April 2019 where he pleaded guilty to the crime. Doud had his court appearance on the 23rd of April, also pleading guilty to the crime.

Rochester Drug Co-operative had a lawsuit filed against them by the United States attorney’s office, Southern District, New York, concerning the penalties for the charges against them.

This, however, would be the first persecution of drugs distribution companies allegedly responsible for the circulation of narcotics and other suspicious drugs. Over time, these companies have been accused on different occasions for their deliberate act in circulating drugs that boost opioid crisis and it likes for bonus profit. Over the years, other drug companies like Mckesson, Walgreens and Cardinal Health, have faced legal consequences relating to the opioid crisis which resulted in paying fines of millions of dollars.

On accounts of the New York Times, Rochester Distribution Company was investigated for two years by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), after the company had violated previous terms of a civil settlement over opioids. The investigation also discovered that within a time span of four years, 2012-2016, RDC had allegedly distributed over tens of millions of opioids to pharmacies and drug treatment centers that were legitimately not in need of them.

A spokesperson from RDC, Jeff Eller, in a statement admitted that the company clearly understood that the mistakes made by the immediate-former management had serious consequences. “We accept responsibility for those mistakes. We can do better. We are doing better and we will do better.”

The opioid crisis case is a pretty intense one in the U.S because, for the past 20 years, over 600,000 people have died of wrong opioid drugs usage especially overdosing which has led to an increase in opioid-related deaths. A couple of hundreds of thousands more could die if drastic measures are not taken against the opioid epidemic. Some advocates have stepped out to declare that since companies like Rochester contribute to the opioid crisis, they should be made to pay for opioid consequences as well.

The RDC announced its agreement for plea in the criminal case and a settlement in its past violated civil case uncovered by the DEA. The company also admitted to the criminal charges against it and agreed to be supervised by an outsourced monitor. It also agreed to a reformation of its compliance program and pay a fine of $20 million.

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