Three Baton Rouge Individuals Charged in Federal Court in Connection with the Department of Justice’s 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced criminal charges against three individuals in connection with an alleged scheme to acquire controlled substances by fraud, to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and to defraud Medicaid.  The charges filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action.

Kevan Andre Hills, age 30, Devin Tyrone Stampley, Jr., age 32, and Asia Deshan Guess, age 27, all of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, were charged by indictment for their respective roles in a conspiracy to acquire and obtain controlled substances by fraud, to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, and to commit health care fraud, in the Middle District of Louisiana and elsewhere.   As alleged in the indictment, beginning in or around April 2021, and continuing through at least February 2023, Hills, Stampley, Guess, and their co-conspirators fraudulently obtained controlled substances from pharmacies in the Baton Rouge area and elsewhere using at least 97 forged and fraudulent prescriptions bearing the DEA registration numbers and other identifying information of at least 12 physicians and other medical professionals without authority.  It is alleged that, in April 2022, Stampley also burglarized a pharmacy in Louisiana and stole 54 different controlled substances worth approximately $10,600 from said pharmacy. 

The charges are part of a strategically coordinated, two-week nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 193 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes that resulted in the submission of over $2.75 billion in alleged false billings.  The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets, and the Government, in connection with the enforcement action, seized over $231 million in cash, luxury vehicles, gold, and other assets.

“It does not matter if you are a trafficker in a drug cartel or a corporate executive or medical professional employed by a health care company, if you profit from the unlawful distribution of controlled substances, you will be held accountable,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will bring to justice criminals who defraud Americans, steal from taxpayer-funded programs, and put people in danger for the sake of profits.”

“Today’s charges underscore our unwavering commitment to combating health care fraud and opioid abuse, which threaten the well-being of our communities and the integrity of our health care system,” said United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr.  “The defendants allegedly exploited the trust placed in our health care system to unlawfully acquire and distribute controlled substances, causing harm not only to the individuals directly affected but to the entire community. We will continue to work tirelessly with our federal, state, and local partners to bring those who engage in such fraudulent activities to justice.”

“We will not tolerate fraud that preys on patients who need and deserve high quality health care,” said the Honorable Christi A. Grimm, the Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “The hard work of the HHS-OIG team and our outstanding law enforcement partners makes today’s action possible.  We must protect taxpayer dollars and keep Americans safe from harms to their health, privacy, and financial well-being.”

The Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, Northeast, and Texas Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Southern District of Alabama, District of Arizona, Central District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California, District of Connecticut, Middle District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, Western District of Louisiana, Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Rhode Island, Eastern District of Tennessee, Middle District of Tennessee, Eastern District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia, and Eastern District of Wisconsin; and State Attorney Generals’ Offices for Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, and South Dakota are prosecuting the cases in the National Enforcement Action, with assistance from the Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team. Descriptions of each case involved in today’s enforcement action are available on the Department’s website at https://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit/2024-national-hcf-case-summaries.

The Middle District of Louisiana in particular, worked with the Department’s Criminal Division and the following law enforcement organizations to investigate and prosecute the cases filed during the enforcement period: the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Louisiana State Police (LSP) Fugitive Task Force and Criminal Investigation Division.  

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristen L. Craig of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana and Trial Attorneys Gary A. Crosby II and Samantha E. Usher of the Gulf Coast Strike Force.  

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.