Miami Man Admits Role in Massive Oxycodone Distribution Scheme

A Miami man, Jose Llerena, 49, has pleaded guilty to his role in a major conspiracy to distribute over 87,000 oxycodone pills illegally. The plea was entered in a federal court, where Llerena admitted to conspiring with others, including Olushola Yusuf, a pharmacist and pharmacy owner, to distribute the opioid to individuals without medical need.

According to the U. S. Attorney's Office, Llerena acted as a 'patient recruiter,' paying individuals to pose as patients to obtain unnecessary oxycodone prescriptions from clinics and doctors in South Florida.

These prescriptions were then filled at Yusuf's pharmacies, where Yusuf maintained a list of Llerena's recruits. Llerena paid Yusuf cash at above-market rates for the drugs.

Llerena was personally responsible for distributing 3,735 oxycodone pills. He used platforms like Zelle to pay his recruits for the pills, which he then resold on the street. The scheme was part of a larger operation that diverted more than 87,000 oxycodone pills, contributing to the opioid crisis by putting these dangerous drugs onto the streets.

The investigation was conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline DerOvanesian and Trial Attorney Angela Benoit of the Fraud Division’s Health Care Fraud Section.

Llerena faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, with a sentencing date yet to be set. A federal district court judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Department of Justice's Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, which has been active since 2007, has charged over 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion. This case is part of ongoing efforts by the DOJ to combat health care fraud and opioid distribution, supported by initiatives like the National Fraud Enforcement Division and President Trump's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.