Former Naugatuck Resident Sentenced To 57 Months For Illegally Obtaining And Selling Prescription Narcotics

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JESSE KAPLAN, 31, formerly of Naugatuck, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Ellen Bree Burns in New Haven to 57 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally obtaining and distributing prescription narcotics.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in May 2012, the Drug Enforcement Administration began an investigation into the filling of fraudulent prescriptions for oxycodone at pharmacies in Connecticut and New York through the use of fraudulent identifications.  The investigation revealed that KAPLAN and a co-defendant traveled to pharmacies together and used multiple aliases to fraudulently fill prescriptions for oxycodone and hydromorphone.  They then pooled, traded or shared their pills for further distribution.

On August 8, 2013, KAPLAN was arrested by Naugatuck Police as a result of his alleged participation in a home invasion in Torrington.  The incident followed an attempted sale of 60 oxycodone 30mg pills in exchange for $1,000 at the residence.  According to pharmaceutical records and video surveillance, just hours before this attempted drug transaction, KAPLAN filled a prescription at a pharmacy under the alias “Sean Mullin” for 60 oxycodone 30mg pills.  When Naugatuck police officers arrested KAPLAN, they located seven New York State driver’s licenses, all depicting KAPLAN’s photo with different identifying information.

KAPLAN was arrested on federal charges on December 20, 2013.  On August 12, 2014, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone.

This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Diversion Squad and the Greenwich and Naugatuck Police Departments.    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Richards.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov