Five Argentine men have been charged with operating online pharmacies and distributing Oxycodone in Wisconsin, according to U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Krueger of the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
Conrado Adolfo Frenzel, 50, Jorge Alejandro Paura, 51, Santiago Videmato, 35, Luciano Brunetti, 30, and Lucas Daniel Paura, 31, were charged in a superseding indictment on October 10, 2018, with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including Oxycodone; illegally distributing controlled substances using the internet; illegal use of the internet to advertise the sale of controlled substances; conspiracy to import controlled substances, including Oxycodone; and multiple counts of illegal importation and attempted importation of controlled substances from Romania and another country to the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The superseding indictment also includes a forfeiture allegation that identifies 28 residential real properties located in Florida.
Argentine authorities arrested Frenzel, Jorge Paura, and Videmato in Buenos Aires on March 12, 2019, pursuant to requests for their provisional arrest from the United States. Authorities are pursuing the capture and arrest of Brunetti and Lucas Paura.
The United States will seek to extradite these defendants to face the charges in the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
“Combatting the opioid crisis and the illegal flow of prescription drugs requires international cooperation,” said U.S. Attorney Krueger. “We commend the outstanding work of the Argentine law enforcement agencies whose partnership with U.S. authorities made these arrests possible.”
The case was the result of a multi-year investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, DEA, IRS-CI, the U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Key Facts
- State: Wisconsin
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Cybercrime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News