KC Woman Sentenced for Her Role in $1.2 Million Oxycodone Conspiracy

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for her role in a $1.2 million conspiracy to distribute oxycodone that was obtained by using forged and fraudulent prescriptions.

Michelle C. Newton, 46, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to three years and 10 months in federal prison without parole.

On June 23, 2016, Newton pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy from Dec. 6, 2013, to January 2016 to distribute, and to possess with the intent to distribute, oxycodone. Conspirators obtained prescription-quality paper commonly used by authorized health care providers to write prescriptions. They also obtained the DEA registration numbers of health care providers, which they used to prepare fraudulent prescriptions for oxycodone.

Conspirators took the false prescriptions to pharmacies in Kansas City, Drexel, Riverside, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Blue Springs, Kearney, Butler, Odessa, Higginsville and Nevada, Mo. Conspirators commonly sold the oxycodone 30mg pills for between $15 to $25 per pill.

According to court documents, Newton’s role in the conspiracy was primarily as a “runner” – she was responsible for taking the false prescriptions for oxycodone to a pharmacy, attempting to pass the false prescriptions and obtain oxycodone. Newton then returned some or all of the oxycodone to others in the conspiracy; in exchange, she received either cash and/or a portion of the oxycodone pills.

Newton was arrested when she attempted to pass a false prescription at a Walgreens at 3845 Broadway, Kansas City, Mo., on Dec. 20, 2013.

Newton is the first defendant to be sentenced in this case. Four co-defendants have pleaded guilty so far, including Katherine E. Beaven, 33, Felicita A. San Miguel, also known as “Cassandra Jasso,” “Susan Hernandez,” and “Sarah Buckner,” 38, and Jermaine C. Brooks, 29, all of Kansas City, Mo., and Christopher J. Neale, 27, of Harrisonville, Mo.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jess E. Michaelsen. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the police departments of Riverside, Blue Springs, Independence, Kearney, Odessa, Nevada, Higginsville, Drexel Lee’s Summit and Butler.