One charged, one sentenced in Roanoke court in massive Oxycodone conspiracy

A story that seems ripped from the pages of Beth Macy’s bestseller Dopesick had its day in a federal courtroom in Roanoke on Friday.

Obioma Alozie Ndubuka, 32, of Derwood, Md., and Kenechukwu Brian Okwara, 29, of Bowie, Md., were in court related to the scheme uncovered by authorities involving Dr. Rotimi Iluyomade, an Annandale-based doctor convicted of distributing more than 7,000 oxycodone pills, 34,000 milliliters of hydrocodone-chlorpheniramine solution (also known as “Tussionex”), and 107,000 milliliters of promethazine-codeine solution (“also known as lean”).

Ndubuka was sentenced on Friday to two years in prison for his role in the scheme; Okwara pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute Schedule II controlled substances and to acquire promethazine-codeine solution by fraud.

Also charged in the conspiracy:

• Cameron Isaiah Lewis, 23, of Bowie, Md.
• Elhadj Malick Diallo, 31, of Silver Spring, Md.
• Zion Oluwademilade Adeduwon, 24, of Bowie, Md.
• Yared Michael Tesfaye, 28, of Montgomery Village, Md.
• Raymono Alfonzo Russel II, 25, of Bowie, Md. 

Zion Adeduwon was sentenced to 42 months in March.

According to court documents, in 2023 and 2024, Iluyomade and the co-conspirators entered into an agreement to distribute oxycodone pills and hydrocodone-chlorpheniramine solution to pharmacies in multiple states, including California, Colorado, Nebraska, Arizona, Missouri, Florida, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, Rhode Island, Georgia, Wisconsin, Texas, West Virginia and Virginia.

At least 70 of the illegal controlled substance prescriptions were transmitted to and/or filled at pharmacies in the Western District of Virginia.

As part of the conspiracy, multiple individuals visited Iluyomade’s medical clinic to obtain fraudulent prescriptions. The individuals provided Iluyomade with lists of multiple “patients” with fake identifying information or different variations of names and false addresses, and requested prescriptions be sent to pharmacies throughout the United States for the “patients” on the lists.

Ndubuka traveled to various pharmacies to pick up fraudulent prescriptions written by Iluyomade, which he then distributed for profit, often posting pictures on his social media accounts to facilitate drug sales.

Iluyomade transmitted at least 134 fraudulent prescriptions using variations of the “Ndubuka” surname. The prescriptions listed 56 different residential addresses but the same patient home phone number.

Ndubuka paid approximately $300 per fraudulent prescription.

Okwara visited Iluyomade at Crossover Medical Center in Annadale to obtain fraudulent prescriptions for promethazine-codeine and hydrocodone-chlorpheniramine. Okwara was one of the first co-conspirators to obtain fraudulent prescriptions from Iluyomade, and shortly thereafter began selling “slots” with Iluyomade to other co-conspirators that they used to obtain fraudulent prescriptions.

The investigation began on Sept. 2, 2023, when Russell attempted to pick up a fraudulent promethazine-codeine solution prescription transmitted by Iluyomade at a pharmacy in Honaker.  Russell was arrested and a search of his vehicle revealed multiple controlled substance prescription bottles in various ‘patient’ names, all from Iluyomade, filled at pharmacies in Roanoke, Radford, Tazewell and Floyd.