Pharmacy Operators Face Federal Prison Sentences for Illegally Distributing Hydrocodone

June 23, 2010 3:50 PM

Pharmacy owner Richard Lacson and pharmacist Cesar Cabrera were sentenced to federal prison for distributing millions of hydrocodone pills for cash at their pharmacies located in Riverside and Los Angeles Counties, CA, as reported in a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) press release. According to court documents, from 2007 to 2009, Lacson and Cabrera conspired with each other to distribute highly addictive controlled substances to local dealers in Southern California. Lacson employed Cabrera as a pharmacist to work at Home Care Pharmacy; Cabrera then ordered large quantities of controlled substances from drug suppliers, had the drugs delivered to the pharmacies, then sold them to local street dealers. Lacson used the illegal drug proceeds from Home Care Pharmacy in Riverside to purchase Colima Pharmacy in Los Angeles County and continued the illicit distribution scheme. The Riverside office of DEA estimates that the approximate street value of the two million dosage units of hydrocodone distributed was approximately $8 million. Lacson was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison and three years supervised release. Cabrera was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison.