CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, Nov. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- United States Attorney Matt M. Dummermuth announced today that six men have been charged with conspiring to illegally distribute controlled substances through an Internet pharmacy and with laundering money from the offense. The charges are contained in an Indictment filed today in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of more than $40 million in proceeds from the alleged Internet operation.
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The 31-count Indictment charges Orlando Birbraghyer, 50, of Miami, Florida; Marshall Neil Kanner, 52, of Miami Beach, Fla.; Jack Eugene Huzl, 69, formerly of Dubuque, Iowa; Douglas Willis Bouchey, 53, formerly of Dubuque, Iowa; Armando Angulo, 55, formerly of Miami, Florida; and Peter Lopez 53, formerly of Puerto Rico, with conspiring to: (1) illegally distribute more than 12 million narcotic pain pills and other controlled substance medications through more than 246,000 prescriptions; (2) maintain drug-involved premises; and (3) employ minors in a drug offense. The defendants are also charged with conspiring to launder money from the alleged Internet drug conspiracy. Huzl, Bouchey, Angulo, and Lopez are charged in separate counts with illegal distributions of controlled medications. Huzl is charged with making two illegal distributions of controlled medications to a minor.
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The Indictment alleges Birbraghyer and Kanner operated an Internet pharmacy Web site, www.BuyMeds.com, that allowed customers to illegally purchase controlled medications. The Indictment alleges Birbraghyer and Kanner contracted with doctors and pharmacies across the United States, including a Dubuque, Ia., pharmacy, for the processing of drug orders placed through the Web site. According to the Indictment, Huzl and Bouchey were among the contracting pharmacists who filled orders for BuyMeds.com. Angulo and Lopez are alleged to be doctors who contracted with BuyMeds.com to authorize the prescription orders placed by BuyMeds.com customers.
An arraignment of the defendants has been scheduled before Chief Judge Linda R. Reade on Nov. 16, 2007.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie M. Rose and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Drug Enforcement Administration Office of Diversion Control, the Dubuque Drug Task Force, and the Internal Revenue Service.
SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice
