Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that KRISTIN DAVIS, a former candidate for New York City Comptroller, was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to two years in prison for illegally distributing hundreds of various types of prescription pills. DAVIS, who was arrested in August 2013, and pled guilty in March 2014 to distributing and possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “The convictions of Kristin Davis and the other defendants in this wide-ranging diversion investigation demonstrate once again this Office’s and our law enforcement partners’ resolve to fight the prescription drug abuse epidemic in every affected corner of New York City and beyond.”

According to the Complaint, Superseding Information, other information in the public record, and Davis’s guilty plea:

On multiple occasions for a period of years through March 2013, DAVIS sold hundreds of prescription pills, containing amphetamine, alprazolam, zolpidem, and carisoprodol, to a person she knew from her own prior purchases and sales to be a drug dealer. Unbeknownst to DAVIS, the person had become a cooperating witness (the “CW”) with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and was equipped with a recording device. During these sales, DAVIS was recorded saying that the pills she was selling were “Ambien,” “Soma,” and “Xanax.” On a fourth occasion, in April 2013, DAVIS arranged for another individual to sell approximately 180 oxycodone pills to the CW.

There is an illegal market for all of the drugs DAVIS sold and assisted another in selling. Oxycodone is a powerful painkiller with a high potential for addiction and abuse, and it is often used as a substitute for, or adjunct to, other illegal drugs, such as heroin. Amphetamine is a psycho-stimulant, often referred to as “speed,” and it is often used as a substitute for, or adjunct to, other illegal drugs, including methamphetamine and cocaine. Alprazolam is a psychoactive drug often used as a substitute for, or adjunct to, other illegal drugs, such as LSD, heroin or opiates. Zolpidem is a sedative/hypnotic drug often used as a substitute for, or adjunct to, other illegal drugs, including amphetamine, methamphetamine, cocaine, and MDMA (commonly known as ecstasy). Carisoprodol is a skeletal muscle relaxant often used in conjunction with painkillers and so-called “date rape” drugs.

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DAVIS was one of several people charged as part of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), and the U.S. Attorney’s Office into the unlawful distribution of prescription drugs containing controlled substances in and around New York City:

• Thomas Rock was arrested on July 10, 2013, for distributing and conspiring to distribute oxycodone and alprazolam. He pled guilty on February 24, 2014, to distributing oxycodone and alprazolam, and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer on July 21, 2014, to 15 months in prison.
• Eugene Kurochkin was arrested on July 11, 2013, for distributing oxycodone, alprazolam, amphetamine, and zolpidem. He pled guilty on November 1, 2013, to distributing oxycodone, alprazolam, amphetamine, and zolpidem, and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert W. Sweet on February 10, 2014, to one year in prison.
• Raoul Goldberger and Rebecca Teman were arrested on July 29, 2013, for distributing and conspiring to distribute amphetamine, oxycodone, and vicodin. Goldberger pled guilty on August 21, 2013, to distributing amphetamine and oxycodone, and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon on March 12, 2014, to five years in prison. Teman pled guilty on November 12, 2013, to misbranding a prescription drug, and was sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry B. Pitman on March 11, 2014, to 18 months’ probation with a special condition of 100 hours of community service.
• Erik Pichardo, who was referred to as “Individual-1” in the Complaint against DAVIS, was arrested in August 2013 for distributing oxycodone. He pled guilty on December 12, 2013, to conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, and is scheduled to be sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska on October 23, 2014.
• David J. Wright was arrested on October 3, 2013, for distributing oxycodone, amphetamine, and carisoprodol. He pled guilty on July 14, 2014, to distributing oxycodone, amphetamine, and carisoprodol, and is scheduled to be sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska on November 18, 2014.

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In addition to her prison term, DAVIS, 39, of New York City, was sentenced to two years of supervised release. DAVIS was also ordered to pay $1,765 in forfeiture and a $100 special assessment fee.

Mr. Bharara praised the investigative work of the FBI. He also thanked HHS-OIG and the NYPD for their assistance in the investigation.

These cases are being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel C. Richenthal, Kristy J. Greenberg, and Edward A. Imperatore are in charge of the prosecutions.