Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Https

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

  • Who We Are
    • About
    • Mission
    • History
    • Divisions
      • Atlanta
        • Atlanta Leadership
        • Atlanta Contacts
      • Caribbean
        • Caribbean Leadership
        • Caribbean Contacts
      • Chicago
        • Chicago Leadership
        • Chicago Contacts
      • Dallas
        • Dallas Leadership
        • Dallas Contacts
      • Detroit
        • Detroit Leadership
        • Detroit Contacts
      • El Paso
        • El Paso Contacts
      • Headquarters
      • Houston
        • Houston Leadership
        • Houston Contacts
      • Los Angeles
        • Los Angeles Leadership
        • Los Angeles Contacts
      • Louisville
        • Louisville Leadership
        • Louisville Contacts
      • Miami
        • Miami Leadership
        • Miami Contacts
      • New England
        • New England Leadership
        • New England Contacts
      • New Jersey
        • New Jersey Contacts
      • New Orleans
        • New Orleans Leadership
        • New Orleans Contacts
      • New York
        • New York Leadership
        • New York Contacts
      • Omaha
        • Omaha Leadership
        • Omaha Contacts
      • Philadelphia
        • Philadelphia Leadership
        • Philadelphia Contacts
      • Phoenix
        • Phoenix Leadership
        • Phoenix Contacts
      • Rocky Mountain
        • Rocky Mountain Leadership
        • Rocky Mountain Contacts
      • San Diego
        • San Diego Leadership
        • San Diego Contacts
      • San Francisco
        • San Francisco Contacts
      • Seattle
        • Seattle Contacts
      • St. Louis
        • St. Louis Leadership
        • St. Louis Contacts
      • Washington, DC
        • Washington Leadership
        • Washington Contacts
    • DEA Museum
    • Foreign Offices
      • Africa
      • Andean
      • Caribbean
      • Europe
      • Far East
      • Middle East
      • North and Central America
      • Southern Cone
    • Operational Divisions
      • Aviation Division
      • Diversion Control Division
    • Wall of Honor
    • Contact Us
      • Submit a Tip
      • Extortion Scam
      • Congressional and Public Affairs
      • Social Media Directory
  • What We Do
    • Law Enforcement
      • DEA Office of Training
        • Office of Training Programs
      • El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC)
        • Leadership
        • Mission
        • Services
        • Contacts
      • Forensic Sciences
        • Computer Forensics Program
        • Environmental Management
        • Laboratories
      • Intelligence
      • Operations
        • Administrative Law Judges
        • DEA Asset Forfeiture
        • Domestic Cannabis Suppression / Eradication Program
        • HIDTA
        • OCDETF
        • State and Local Task Forces
    • Education and Prevention
      • DEA’s Family Summit
      • Operation Engage
      • Community Outreach
      • Red Ribbon
        • Kiki and the History of Red Ribbon Week
        • Red Ribbon Toolkit - Resources For Your Community
      • Just Think Twice
      • Campus Drug Prevention
      • Get Smart About Drugs
      • Operation Prevention
    • Drug Information
      • Drug Policy
      • Drug Scheduling
      • The Controlled Substances Act
    • News
      • Alerts
      • Press Releases
      • Most Wanted Fugitives
        • All Fugitives
      • Stories
      • Events
      • Speeches
      • Testimony
    • Campaigns
      • One Pill Can Kill
        • Partner Toolbox
        • Social Media Campaign
      • DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
  • Careers
    • Special Agent
      • Special Agent FAQs
      • Special Agent Job Announcements
    • Diversion Investigator
      • Diversion Investigator Job Announcment
    • Intelligence Research Specialist
      • Intelligence Research Specialist Job Announcements
      • Intelligence Research Specialists FAQs
      • Schedule A Hiring Authority: Intelligence Research Specialist
    • Forensic Sciences Careers
    • Professional & Administrative Careers
    • Student & Entry Level Careers
    • How to Apply
      • Employment Requirements
      • Equal Opportunity Employer
      • How To Claim Veterans' Preference
      • Priority Consideration
      • Benefits
      • Veterans and People With Disabilities
  • Resources
    • Recovery Resources
    • Data and Statistics
      • Domestic Arrests
      • Staffing and Budget
    • FOIA
      • About FOIA
      • Contact DEA FOIA
      • Make a Request
      • What Happens After Making a Request
      • Requester Categories
      • Fees Charged
      • Fee Waiver
      • FOIA FAQ
      • FOIA Logs and Reports
      • FOIA Library
      • Additional FOIA Links
      • FOIA Exemptions
      • What Are Exclusions?
      • Privacy Act
      • Privacy Act Exemptions
      • Privacy Impact Assessment and Management Information Systems
    • Publications
    • Media Galleries
    • Victim Witness Assistance Program
      • Victim Witness Assistance Program Resources

United States Drug Enforcement Administration

  • Search
  • Full Menu

Main Menu

  • Who We Are
  • What We Do
  • Careers
  • Resources
  • Submit A Tip
  • Get Updates
  • Scam Alert
  • English
  • ES

Drug Enforcement Administration

Orville O. Greene Special Agent in Charge
Detroit
@DEADetroitDiv
December 09, 2011
Contact: Brian McNeal
Phone Number: (571) 362-1498
For Immediate Release

Prescription Pill Pipeline Leader Receives 15 Year Prison Term

Ten other Ohio co-conspirators already sentenced

COLUMBUS, OH - Christopher Thompson, 35, of Galloway was sentenced to 181 months in prison for directing a conspiracy involving 15 other people who travelled from Ohio to Florida, obtained and filled prescriptions for oxycodone and other drugs, and sent the pills back to central Ohio for illegal distribution.

Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Robert L. Corso, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Field (DEA), and Franklin County Sheriff Zach Scott announced the sentence handed down today by Senior U.S. District Judge Peter C. Economus.

Thompson pleaded guilty in May 2011 to one count of possession with intent to distribute oxycodone, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. His sentence includes 121 months on the possession charge and 60 months for the gun charge. The sentences will run consecutively.

Fifteen people in addition to Thompson were indicted in May on charges of conspiracy to distribute narcotics. All have pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge James L. Graham. In court documents, Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah A. Solove said the conspirators were responsible for bringing approximately $800,000 worth of oxycodone to Ohio in 15 months. The pills ranged from 15 to 80 milligrams however the majority of the pills were 30-milligram oxycodone tablets.

Thompson paid for all conspirators’ travel expenses, doctors’ office fees and pharmacy fees. In return, these individuals turned their pills over to Thompson who would pay the individuals in cash or oxycodone for making the trip. Generally, these sponsored individuals traveled in groups, stayed in the same hotels, and visited doctors and pharmacies as a group. After filling their prescriptions, the medication would be placed into a safe in their hotel room. Once enough pills were obtained, the pills would be mailed back to Thompson.

Sheriff’s deputies executed a search warrant at Thompson’s Galloway residence in January and seized approximately 14,000 prescription medication pills which included more than 2,000 oxycodone pills, nine firearms including two stolen guns, more than $86,000 in cash and empty prescription bottles. One of the firearms was an AR-15 with a 100-round magazine. It was sitting near a safe containing the pills and currency.

Ten other individuals have been sentenced. They are:

Richard E. Clark Jr., 25, Pickerington, 84 months in prison.
Monty L. Shelton, 48, Columbus, 84 months.
John P. Hike Jr., 38, Columbus, 72 months.
Jason R. Caines, 36, Grove City, 60 months.
Carrie A. Kight, 29, Columbus, 48 months in prison.
William P. Deem Jr., 39, Columbus, 36 months.
Jon S. Lawson, 29, Columbus, 24 months.
Gregory A. Forby, 30, Columbus, 18 months.
Marcus H. Virgin, 34, Columbus, 12 months and a day.
Walter Eugene King, 33, Columbus, 84 months.

Awaiting sentencing are:

Jerry A. Dearwester, 41, Hilliard
Franklin D. Lonas Jr., 49, Columbus
Benjamin F. Henson, 29, Columbus
Nicholas Douglas Murray, 24, Columbus
Jeana L. Marcum, 54, Columbus

Oxycodone is a Schedule II controlled substance which the DEA says is frequently abused for its narcotic effect. It sells on the street for approximately $1 per milligram and is most commonly sold in 30-milligram pills. The conspirators also obtained prescriptions for hydrocodone, morphine, Percocet and Xanax.

“The effects of oxycodone are akin to the physical (addiction and withdrawal) of heroin, but are sugar-coated because respected (doctors and pharmacists) are part of the distribution system,” Solove told the court.

“I want to commend the cooperation between the Franklin County Sheriff’s deputies, DEA agents and task force officers who worked with Assistant U.S. Attorney Solove in a successful investigation that started with a tip from a concerned citizen and led to the dismantling of a drug trafficking organization,” Stewart said.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Locator

  • Who We Are
    • About
    • Domestic Divisions
    • Foreign Offices
    • Contact Us
    • DEA Museum
  • What We Do
    • Drug Prevention
    • Law Enforcement
    • Diversion Control Division
    • News
  • Careers
    • Overview
    • Special Agent
    • Diversion Investigator
    • Intelligence Research Specialist
  • Resources
    • Drug Information
    • Employee Assistance Program
    • Equal Opportunity Employer
    • FOIA
    • Publications
    • Media Galleries
    • VWAP
  • Doing Business
    with the DEA
    • Overview
    • Current Vendors
    • Prospective Vendors
    • Security Clauses
    • Security Forms
    • Small Business Program
  • Policies
    • Accessibility, Plug-ins & Policy
    • Legal Policies & Disclaimers
    • No FEAR Act
    • Privacy Policy
    • U.S. Department of Justice EEO Policy
    • USA.gov
    • Whistleblower Protection
Home

United States Drug Enforcement Administration

DEA.gov is an official site of the U.S. Department of Justice
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram

DEA Contact Center

(202) 307-1000 info@dea.gov
Contact the Webmaster