Southfield man sentenced for illegally distributing over 90K opioid doses
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - A Southfield man has been sentenced to seven years in prison for distributing over 90,000 doses of OxyContin, Percocet and other opioids, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced.
Lavar Carter, 45, became involved in this scheme as a patient recruiter. He would get information from family members and people at soup kitchens to fill out unnecessary opioid prescriptions.
After that, he was employed by New Vision Rehab Center, where he would give physicians information about names he knew were used to fill unnecessary opioid prescriptions.
Officials say Carter and others would trade prescriptions for cash.
To make the situation even worse, while Carter was released on bond, surveillance by law enforcement officers revealed that he was working at another pain clinic to be involved in illegally distributing opioids.
"The illegal distribution of opioids continues to have devastating effects on our community," said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Detroit Field Office. "The sentencing of Lavar Carter highlights how a partnership between the FBI, DEA, and HHS leads to the successful prosecution of individuals who seek to profit off the addiction of others."
