New Baltimore Pharmacist Sentenced To Over 8 Years In Prison For Filling Fake Prescriptions

DETROIT –A New Baltimore resident was sentenced yesterday to 8 years and 4 months in federal prison following her convictions fo 26 drug-related crimes, including unlawful distribution of controlled substances and conspiracy to unlawfully distribute prescription drug-controlled substances, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.

Joining Ison in the announcement were Orville Greene, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Mario M. Pinto, Special Agent-In-Charge, United States Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General.

Hasna Bashir Iwas, 62, the owner and operator of Beacon Pointe Pharmacy in Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan was sentenced by United States District Judge Laurie J. Michelson following a jury trial.

The convictions resulted from defendant’s operation of Beacon Pointe Pharmacy in Grosse Pointe Park during 2013-2018. The defendant regularly filled many prescriptions issued by a local doctor, Otis Crawford. Dr. Crawford was charged with unlawfully writing controlled substance prescriptions and pleaded guilty, but died before his sentencing.  Pharmacist Iwas was held criminally responsible for distributing over 300,000 dosage units of controlled substances.  The drugs had an estimated street value of $1.8 to $3.3 million. She personally received gross income of $781,546 from the illegal distribution of pills from her pharmacy.  As part of her sentence, she was ordered to forfeit $781,546, which represents the proceeds of her drug dealing. 

“My office will continue to devote resources to prosecuting healthcare professionals such as this defendant, who use their trusted roles as healthcare providers to deal drugs in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Ison.

The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Detroit Police Department.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Wayne F. Pratt, while forfeiture litigation was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Gjon Juncaj.