2 Doctors Facing New Jersey Charges In Oxycodone Ring
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- Two doctors from New York and New Jersey are among 22 people charged in a ring that federal prosecutors say trafficked in and sold millions of dollars' worth of oxycodone tablets to people across the region.
U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman said 16 of those charged—including 47-year-old Christopher Erwin of Barnegat, the alleged ringleader— were arrested Wednesday morning and were due in court later in the day.
Another person was already in custody on an unrelated matter.
The rest were still being sought Wednesday afternoon.
Fishman said the doctors illegally wrote more than 6,000 prescriptions for more than 500,000 oxycodone tablets between January 2009 and December 2010. They've been identified as Jacqueline LoPresti, who has an office in Little Silver, N.J., and New York-licensed doctor Hassan Lahham.
It wasn't yet known if any of the defendants had retained attorneys.
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