COLUMBUS, Ohio – The 22nd and final defendant related to a Las Vegas-to-Columbus oxycodone distribution ring pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today.

 

Edward Vaughns, 56, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone and to launder money.

 

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Keith Martin, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Mona Passmore, acting Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation, Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Pittsburgh Division, and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced the plea entered into today before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus Jr.

 

According to court documents, defendants had been diverting oxycodone pills from the Las Vegas area to Columbus since at least 2012. Law enforcement officials seized numerous U.S. mail packages containing thousands of oxycodone pills and large amounts of cash being sent between Las Vegas and Columbus in connection with this drug trafficking organization.

 

The co-conspirators also engaged in financial transactions – making use of wire transfers, bank accounts, and prepaid debit cards – involving hundreds of thousands of dollars to conceal the nature and source of their profits and promote the drug trafficking organization’s activities.  Money was used to purchase airline tickets, pay for hotel rooms and cover other costs associated with bringing the drugs to Columbus for distribution. 

 

According to Vaughns’ plea, specifically, Vaughn was responsible for the distribution of at least 15,000 oxycodone pills.

 

Others charged in the related cases include: Marcus Pryor, Marquis Pryor, Maisha Caples, Michael Griffin, James Stone, David Pryor, Sukita Williams, Danny Williams, Russell Briggs, Richard Briggs, Tiana Castro, Dontonyo Courtney, Larissa Harris-Patterson, Joquline Harris, Alfred James, Rashod Todd, Raynard Miller, Arthur Pirtle, Thomas Lane, Gary Washington and Jerry Campbell.

 

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the DEA, IRS Criminal Investigation, USPIS and Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Michael J. Hunter and Brian J. Martinez, who are prosecuting the cases.

 

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