Prosecutors say many of the prescriptions presented to the two men had been "bleached" to remove the original non-narcotic drug prescribed.
CAMDEN -- Federal agents have arrested two South Jersey pharmacists on charges of illegally distributing oxycodone, prosecutors announced Monday.
Federal agents arrested Michael Ludwikowski and David Goldfield on charges the two pharmacists illegally distributed oxycodone over a three-year period, prosecutors announced Monday. (John O'Boyle | Star-Ledger file photo)Michael Ludwikowski, 44, of Medford, and David Goldfield, 58, of Medford Lakes, face charges of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, maintaining a drug-involved premises and multiple counts of narcotics distribution under a 16-count indictment in U.S. District Court, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Ludwikowski was the owner of both Olde Medford Pharmacy and Medford Family Pharmacy, where prosecutors say Goldfield, 58, was employed.
Prosecutors say that between March 2008 and August 2013, Ludwikowski fraudulently ordered "tens of thousands" of dosage units of oxycodone from a national distributor, which he and Goldfield distributed to people who presented phony prescriptions, including addicts.
Many of those prescriptions had been "bleached" to remove the name of the non-narcotic drug originally prescribed, according to prosecutors.
Ludwikowski and another unnamed pharmacist also allegedly struck up an arrangement with an unnamed physician who agreed to steer his patients to Ludwikowski's pharmacies.
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Prosecutors say the charges of conspiracy, oxycodone distribution and maintaining a drug-involved premises carry a maximum sentence of 20 years upon conviction.
Both men were scheduled to appear at 3 p.m. Monday before Magistrate Judge Joel Schneider in Camden, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook.