ANITA:
THERE IS A NEED TEAM IN
TOWN ADDRESSING THE OPIOID
EPIDEMIC BY GOING AFTER THE
PEOPLE WHO COMMIT PRESCRIPTION
DRUG FRAUD.
IT IS CALLED THE TACTICAL
DIVERSION SQUAD LED BY THE DEA.
TOM: THEIR NUMBER ONE GOAL IS TO
STOP PEOPLE FROM GETTING, USING,
AND SELLING PILLS ILLEGALLY.
BRANDI CUMMINGS HAS MORE ON
THEIR PLANS TO DIVERT DRUGS.
REPORTER: PRESCRIPTION
DRUG
CRIMES ARE A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM
OF VIRGINIA AND THAT IS WHY THE
DEA IS PUTTING A STOP TO IT.
AND LOCAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY SAYS
HE IS SEEING THE FEDS BECOME
MORE INVOLVED IN LOCAL DRUG
CASES AND SOMETIMES THAT CAN BE
BENEFICIAL.
IF THE DOCTOR IS A BURNING
SUBSTANCES IN THE MINDS OF THE
DEA, THE DOCTOR IS NO DIFFERENT
THAN A DRUG DEALER OPERATING IN
A WHITE COAT.
REPORTER: THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT
ADMINISTRATION NOT MINCING WORDS
ABOUT POSITIONS COMMITTING
FRAUD.
WE'RE THING FOR A FIVE NEW
HEROIN USERS BECOMING ADDICTED
TO PRESCRIPTION OPIOIDS.
REPORTER: IS ADDICTIONS HAVING
DEADLY CONSEQUENCES.
AND 2016
THERE ARE MORE DRUG
OVERDOSE DEATHS BEEN DEATHS IN
THE WHOLE VIETNAM WAR.
IT IS A HUGE PROBLEM.
REPORTER: THE DEA WORKING TO
TACKLE AHEAD ON ESPECIALLY IN
VIRGINIA.
THE NEWLY HAVE FUNCTIONING
TACTICAL DIVERSION SQUAD IS A
SPECIAL TEAM OPERATING IN THE
RICHMOND-HAMPTON ROADS AREA FOR
THE FIRST TIME.
THEIR GOAL IS
TO MAKE SURE DRUGS
ARE USED FOR THEIR LAWFUL
PURPOSE AND NOT DIVERTED TO BE
USED FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
TODD PRO.
YOU BEEN SUCCESSFUL AT
PROSECUTING THESE CASES IN
FEDERAL COURT.
REPORTER: SO FAR, THE NEW TEAM
FULLY STAFFED FOUR MONTHS AGO IS
ALREADY HANDLED TWO DOZEN CASES,
RECENTLY FINALIZED CASE INVOLVES
A SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY EDITION.
HE WAS A BOARD-CERTIFIED ER
DOCTOR PRACTICING AT THE SOUTH
HAMPTON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL IN
BROOKLYN UNTIL LAST YEAR WHEN HE
WAS ARRESTED FOR PRESCRIPTION
DRUG FRAUD.
ACCORDING TO THIS AFFIDAVIT IN
SEPTEMBER 2017, A WITNESS TOLD
THE DEA CROUC FORGED ANOTHERH
DOCTOR'S SIGNATURE TO GET DRUGS.
HE GAVE THE PRESCRIPTIONS THE
WITNESS, WHO IS NOT HIS PATIENT
AND WHO HAD NEVER BEEN SEEN BY
HIM.
THE WITNESS WAS TO GET THE
PRESCRIPTIONS FILLED, KEEP SOME,
IN RETURN OTHERS TO CROUCH.
HE PLED GUILTY TO THE GRANDSON
DECEMBER, SENTENCE LAST WEEK TO
30 DAYS IN A HALFWAY HOUSE IN
THREE YEARS PROBATION.
ALTHOUGH NOT TALKING ABOUT THIS
CASE SPECIFICALLY, PROUGH SAID
THE MAJORITY HAPPENS TO
PRESCRIPTION FRAUD.
IS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM IN
VIRGINIA.
REPORTER: ANDY HAS BEEN IN THE
FENCED ATTORNEY A FOR THREE
DECADES.
KISSING A BIG CHANGES OF THE
CASES HE HANDLES.
TO SEE IT MUCH MORE NOW THAT
WE EVER DID A YEAR OR TWO
AGO
TELLS US THE FEDS HAVE STEPPED
UP WHATEVER THEY ARE DOING.
THEY ARE LOOKING AT CASES OR
SEEKING CASES MORE THAN THEY DID
BEFORE.
REPORTER: HE EXPLAINED WHEN YOU
COMPARE THE FEDERAL SYSTEM TO
THE STATE SYSTEM, THERE COULD
BEF MORE FAVORABLE
CIRCUMSTANCES AND ONE VERSUS THE
OTHER.
IF THEY ARE GUILTY AMANDA
BEEN THE FEDERAL SYSTEM THERE
CAN BE A BENEFIT TO THE
DEFENDANT THAT THEY CAN GET HELP
THAT THEY NORMALLY COULD NOT GET
IN THE STATE SYSTEM.
IT JUST DOES NOT EXIST.
REPORTER: THE CIRCUMSTANCES MAKE
A DIFFERENCE.
HE ADMITTED IN SOME CASES THAT
ALL PROSTITUTION CAN BE HARSHER