TX: Pharmacist and Pharmacy Owner Sentenced to Prison for Unlawfully Distributing Opioids

Healthcare Facility Rx Drug Diversion – Pharmacy Fraud

Three Texas men have been sentenced for illegally dispensing opioids and other controlled substances.

Hassan Barnes, 56, a pharmacist formerly of Missouri City, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for unlawfully dispensing opioids and other controlled substances. Clint Carr, 33, a pharmacy owner formerly of Cypress, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on June 24 and ordered to forfeit more than $700,000 for operating a pharmacy that illegally dispensed controlled substances and for laundering the criminal proceeds. Frasiel Hughey, 60, a supplier-level drug dealer formerly of Houston, was sentenced on June 23 to 20 years in prison for using fake prescriptions to purchase opioids and other controlled substances.

A jury convicted Carr in March of drug and money laundering conspiracies, along with other related charges. According to evidence presented at trial, Carr co-owned and operated CC Pharmacy in Houston, and CC Pharmacy 2 and CC Pharmacy 3 in the Austin area. Barnes was CC Pharmacy’s pharmacist-in-charge. In just 18 months, Carr, Barnes, and their co-conspirators unlawfully distributed over 1.5 million dosage units of controlled substances, including over 1.1 million pills of oxycodone and hydrocodone.

Trial evidence showed that CC Pharmacy unlawfully dispensed controlled substances — mostly oxycodone and hydrocodone — in bulk, for cash, based mostly on forged or stolen prescriptions brought in by drug couriers posing as staff of long-term care facilities. CC Pharmacy brought in over $5.5 million from the unlawful sale of these controlled substances, cash proceeds which Carr and his co-conspirators structured to avoid reporting requirements. Evidence at trial showed that Carr used these drug proceeds to finance a lavish lifestyle, including the purchase of luxury watches and the down payment on a $100,000 Ford pickup truck.

Carr was convicted following a five-day trial on charges of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances, unlawfully distributing and dispensing controlled substances, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity. Barnes pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances. Hughey pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances and unlawfully distributing and dispensing controlled substances. Four other co-conspirators pleaded guilty in connection with the operation of CC Pharmacy, two of whom are still awaiting sentencing.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jennifer Lowery for the Southern District of Texas, and DEA Administrator Anne Milgram made the announcement.

DEA Houston, including the DEA Austin Resident Office, investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Devon Helfmeyer and Courtney Chester of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristine Rollinson of the Southern District of Texas is handling forfeiture.

Press Release