Two Men Sentenced for Conspiracy to Illegally Acquire Codeine and Identity Theft

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Richard Rogers Jr., 33, and Chad Wolf, 27, were sentenced on Friday, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves, to 44 months and 39 months, respectively, for conspiracy to acquire and possess codeine and aggravated identity theft. Rogers and Wolf were also each ordered to forfeit $57,336 - the amount of their illegal codeine resale profits.

According to their plea agreements, Rogers and Wolf conspired, over multiple years, in submitting numerous fraudulent prescriptions for Promethazine-Codeine syrup, which were sent to pharmacies in various Kentucky locations. Neither Rogers nor Wolf had valid prescriptions for codeine cough syrup in their own name. Instead, Rogers and Wolf acquired identity information from unsuspecting individuals - often in the form of driver's licenses. Rogers and Wolf also acquired DEA numbers of medical providers from others, including from physicians in Michigan and Kentucky, without the physicians' authorization or consent. They used this information to create fraudulent prescriptions for codeine cough syrup and organized others to retrieve the prescriptions as they were filled.

Under federal law, Rogers and Wolf must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences. Upon their release from prison, they will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for one year.

Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Erek Davodowich, Acting Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division, jointly announced the sentences.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI and DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Moynahan prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

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