Six suspects are in custody and one is being sought as a fugitive.
TRENTON - Seven people, including a Somerset County doctor, have been charged as alleged members of an oxycodone distribution ring that distributed tens of thousands of high-dose pills of the addictive painkiller, the state Attorney General's office announced.
Six suspects are in custody and one is being sought as a fugitive.
Dr. George Beecher, 75, of New Providence, was arrested Wednesday for allegedly writing prescriptions for more than 60,000 tablets of oxycodone in the names of more than two dozen people he never examined, treated or met, according to a statement from the Attorney General's Office.
Detectives executed a search warrant at Beecher's medical office on Mount Boulevard Extension in Warren, N.J. as part of the probe. The doctor is charged with second-degree charges of conspiracy and distribution of a controlled dangerous substance.
"We allege this doctor and his criminal associates were heartlessly cashing in on the epidemic of opiate abuse in our communities, where users frequently start with the potent pain pills this ring distributed and then are sucked into a dark void of addiction, heroin use, and, far too often, death," Acting Attorney General John Hoffman said in the statement.
The investigation, which included a review of records in the New Jersey Prescription Monitoring Program, determined that between January 2013 and October 2015, Beecher allegedly issued fraudulent prescriptions in the names of over two dozen individuals for more than 60,000 tablets of oxycodone. He also allegedly wrote fraudulent prescriptions for the anti-anxiety drug Xanax.
Authorities called the effort "Operation Busted Script" and say it's part of an ongoing investigation by the Attorney General's Prescription Fraud Investigation Strike Team, a newly formed squad of investigators that target corrupt healthcare professionals and "pill mills."
Also arrested in the past two days were: George Sara, 37, of Bordentown; Andrew Stoveken, 65, of Edison; Jared Burnham, 31, of South Plainfield and Marlena Burnham, 36, of Piscataway. One other was charged but has not been found, the statement said.
Also involved in the ring is John J. Burnham, 41, of South Plainfield, who was arrested on Nov. 23 on drug possession and distribution charges. John Burnham is the brother of Jared Burnham. Authorities allege he managed the supply side of the distribution ring, according to the statement.
Beecher allegedly wrote hundreds of prescriptions for 30 mg oxycodone tablets to be filled by various patients that the doctor never saw. John Burnham allegedly coordinated the delivery of those prescriptions, paying the "patients" in money, pills or a combination once the prescriptions were filled, according to the statement.
Stoveken, who shares an office with Beecher, was the intermediary between the doctor and John Burnham, who paid $500 for a 90-pill prescription, the statement said.
Jared Burnham and others distributed the drugs on the street. John Burnham also allegedly dealt directly with certain trusted bulk purchasers, including Sara, the statement said.
Sara also allegedly acted as a supplier for the ring by providing pills from other sources when the ring's supply was short, authorities said.
Marlena Burnham and the man who remains a fugitive posed as Beecher's patients and filled prescriptions, authorities said.
The five defendants arrested this week were jailed at the Middlesex County Jail. Sara and Stoveken were each jailed on $100,00 bail. Beecher and Jared Burnham's bails were set at $75,000 each and Marlena Burnham's bail was set at $20,000, authorities said.
Second-degree crimes carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000, the statement said.
Keith Brown may be reached at kbrown@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBrownTrenton. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.
