CINCINNATI, Ohio – Four people and a drug distributor accused of flooding drug-ravaged communities with opioids are now facing federal charges in Ohio.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Benjamin Glassman, announced the charges against Miami-Luken, Inc. and four individuals in Cincinnati.
The four are accused of working together to funnel millions of pills through pharmacies. Two are former Miami-Luken executives accused of ignoring or bypassing internal controls meant to flag over-distribution. The other two were identified as pharmacists in West Virginia, a state devastated by the opioid epidemic.
Glassman said, “All of the defendants are charged with a single count of conspiracy to violate the controlled substances act. Specifically, they and unnamed co-conspirators are alleged to have knowingly entered into an agreement to distribute oxycodone and hydrocodone outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose.”
Anthony Rattini, Devonna Miller-West, and Samuel R. BALLANGEE were all taken into federal custody Thursday morning.
James Barclay was not in custody at the time of Thursday’s press conference, and the U.S. attorney urged him to turn himself in.
Miami-Luken sold off its assets in 2018, but technically still exists as a company, which is why it is facing charges.
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