Columbus, Ohio – Three men have been charged with operating a lucrative oxycodone ring that used Las Vegas as a hub to distribute the highly addictive painkiller and launder the profits back to Columbus.
A federal grand jury has indicted James A. Stone, 39, and David L. Pryor, 28, both of Columbus, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
A separate indictment charges Arthur G. Pirtle, Sr., 66, of Las Vegas, with the same two crimes. The indictments claim the trio, along with others, distributed oxycodone between 2012 and 2015 and used various methods to conceal the profits, including carryon luggage, checked luggage, and parcel packages.
According to the indictments, Stone was caught by law enforcement during a trip from Columbus to Las Vegas with $21,000 in drug proceeds hidden in his luggage. The group allegedly wired approximately $300,000 in drug proceeds, with Pirtle opening a bank account in the name Another Beginning LLC that received over $400,000 in cash deposits.
Pryor’s debit cards were also used to purchase airline tickets for members and associates of the drug trafficking organization, including Maisha Caples, Marquis Pryor, and Marcus Pryor, all of whom were previously prosecuted and convicted in the Southern District of Ohio. Marcus Pryor was sentenced to 140 months in prison, Marquis Pryor was sentenced to 93 months in prison, and Caples was sentenced to 45 months in prison.
The conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone and conspiracy to commit money laundering charges are each punishable by up to 20 years in prison. U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the IRS CI and DEA, and Deputy Criminal Chief Michael Hunter, who is prosecuting the case.
The defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. This case is a reminder of the ongoing efforts to combat the opioid crisis and bring those responsible to justice.
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Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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