Welling Man Found Guilty Of Multiple Counts Of Controlled Substance Crimes

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that IAN ALEXANDER BOWLINE, age 32, of Welling, Oklahoma was found guilty of 7 counts of OBTAINING A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE BY FRAUD, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 843(a)(3) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2; 7 counts of USE OF A REGISTRATION NUMBER OF ANOTHER PERSON TO OBTAIN A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE BY FRAUD, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 843(a)(2) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2; 1 count of ATTEMPTING TO OBTAIN A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE BY FRAUD, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 843(a)(3) and 846 and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2; and 1 count of ATTEMPTING TO USE A REGISTRATION NUMBER OF ANOTHER PERSON TO OBTAIN A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE BY FRAUD, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 843(a)(2) and 846 and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2. The jury trial began on Tuesday, April 4, 2017 and concluded on Wednesday, April 12, 2017 with the guilty verdicts.

Beginning in or about 2010, and continuing until the date of the service of a search warrant at Bowline’s residence on May 7, 2013, Bowline lead an organization aimed at obtaining Oxycodone by utilizing false prescriptions manufactured by Bowline and distributed to other coconspirators who, in turn, presented the false prescriptions to pharmacies and obtained 90 to 120 count Oxycodone pills at 30 mg. dosages per pill. The false prescriptions were generated by Bowline, contained valid DEA physician license numbers, and were printed on special watermark paper used by physicians when writing prescriptions. Bowline obtained the DEA physician numbers and paper from the internet.

The false prescriptions were presented to pharmacies in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri. The evidence presented at trial included items seized from a search of Bowline’s residence. Agents seized a computer, laptop, and thumbdrives which contained approximately 90 blank prescriptions in a format used to produce and print the prescriptions and 50 completed prescriptions that had been illegally passed at pharmacies within and outside Oklahoma. Prosecutors also presented false prescriptions that had been filled by various pharmacies and identified as being manufactured and signed by Bowline. During the course of the trial, evidence was presented that Bowline was involved in the diversion of approximately 14,000 Oxycodone pills.

The verdicts obtained are the result of an investigation by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and was coordinated by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) of the Eastern District of Oklahoma. OCDETF is an initiative led, and coordinated by, the Office of the United States Attorney.

Acting United States Attorney Douglas A. Horn stated, “The diversion of Opioids such as Oxycodone has caused irreparable harm to those who have fallen prey to its addictive qualities. This office will continue to vigorously pursue and prosecute individuals who develop and utilize sophisticated means to obtain Oxycodone, or other legally prescribed medications, and distribute them to others thereby perpetuating the destructive cycle of Opioid addiction.”

The Honorable James H. Payne, District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following its completion.

statutory range of punishment for each count is not more than 4 years imprisonment and/or up to a $250,000.00 fine.

Assistant United States Attorneys Shannon Henson and John David Luton represented the United States.