Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – In a shocking turn of events, Leon Little, the mastermind behind the ‘Little Drug Operation’ (LDO), has been found guilty of distributing over 380,000 Oxycodone pills in Eastern Pennsylvania.
Between July 2010 and August 2012, the LDO recruited and paid 55 individuals to pose as patients in order to acquire prescription drugs, such as Oxycodone and Alprazolam, from a physician in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.
Little, 50, was convicted of 50 counts, including 1 count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, 24 counts of distribution of Oxycodone, 9 counts of acquiring a controlled substance by fraud, and 16 counts of money laundering.
This egregious crime has left a trail of devastation in its wake, with numerous lives lost to the scourge of opioid addiction. The convictions of Leon Little and Colise Harmon should serve as a warning to those who would seek to profit from the misery of others.
According to the indictment, Little orchestrated the entire scheme by paying the doctor’s receptionist and sole employee to schedule the pseudo-patients’ appointments, write prescriptions for Oxycodone using the doctor’s prescription pad and without the doctor’s consent, and distribute the forged prescriptions to the LDO.
With the convictions of Little and Harmon, the people of Pennsylvania can take comfort in the knowledge that those responsible for this heinous crime will face the full weight of justice.
As a result of the convictions, Leon Little faces up to 846 years’ imprisonment, while Colise Harmon faces up to 336 years’ imprisonment.
United States Attorney Zane David Memeger stated, “Like the rest of the nation, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has been greatly impacted by the prescription drug abuse epidemic. Heroin and opiate-based prescription medication – such as Oxycodone – are two of the most abused drugs in this area. And just like street drugs, prescription drug abuse produces the same problems: addiction, crime, and broken families.”
Gary Tuggle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division, added, “The illegal diversion and sale of prescription opioids such as Oxycodone has caused considerable damage to communities and the loss of numerous lives across our region.”
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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