Delaware County Pharmacist Conspired To Illegaly Distribute Oxycodone: U.S. Attorney's Office

A pharmacist from Media has been accused of conspired to illegally distribute oxycodone, as well as conspiring to commit money laundering and filing false tax returns, according to the U.S. Attorney Office Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Mitesh Patel, 36, of Media, was charged Wednesday by Superseding Indictment with conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, money laundering conspiracy, and filing false tax returns, according to the attorney's office.

Patel owned three pharmacies – Dava Pharmacy, Dava #2 Pharmacy, and Drexel Hill Pharmacy – between 2009 and 2013 where he allegedly ordered oxycodone, a prescription opioid pain killer, that was given to his coconspirators for distribution, the attorney's office said.

Not only did he allegedly do this, the attorney's office alleges Patel gave oxycodone to his coconspirators for distribution without proper prescriptions in exchange for money, lead him to use various bank accounts associated with his pharmacies to launder money.

The attorney's office also alleges Patel filed false tax returns in 2010, 2011, and 2012, for not reporting his actual taxable income.

If convicted, Patel faces 49 years in prison, a special assessment of $500, a lifetime of supervised release, a potential fine, and forfeiture money Patel accrued through his alleged illegal activities including, but not limited to, a sum of $2,733,300, the attorney's office said.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service's Criminal Investigation, and the Philadelphia Police Department as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force program all investigated the case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan B. Ortiz and David E. Troyer.

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