Five North Shore Individuals Charged with Oxycodone Distribution

BOSTON – Five individuals were charged in U.S. District Court in Boston with distributing oxycodone throughout the North Shore.

Joseph Romano, 38, of Peabody; Anthony Panarese, 35 of Peabody; Paul Williams, 51, of Malden; David Turner, Sr., 55, of Peabody; and Ashley Turner, 26, of Peabody, where arrested this morning and charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of oxycodone, a highly-addictive controlled substance used to treat severe pain.

According to the criminal complaint, since March 2014, the defendants conspired to distribute oxycodone.  Physical and court-authorized electronic surveillance (i.e., wiretaps and GPS tracking devices) were used to establish that Panarese and Williams were supplying Romano with oxycodone nearly every week.  David Turner, Sr. and Ashley Turner were oxycodone pill customers of Romano who also redistributed oxycodone pills supplied by Romano or one of Ramono’s suppliers, such as Williams, to “street” oxycodone users.  During the investigation, law enforcement officers completed controlled purchases and seized approximately 950 oxycodone pills from the defendants.

The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of $1 million.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Office; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Peabody Police Chief Thomas M. Griffin; and Danvers Police Chief Patrick Ambrose, made the announcement today.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlos A. López and James E. Arnold of Ortiz’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit.

The details contained in the charging document are allegations.  The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.