United States v. Ndubuisi Joseph Okafor

PENDING CRIMINAL DIVISION CASES

United States v. Ndubuisi Joseph Okafor
Court Docket Number: 1:23-CR-116 (D. District of Columbia)

Court Assigned: This case is assigned to Judge John D. Bates, U.S. Courthouse, 333 Constitution Avenue N.W., Room 1225, Washington, DC 20001. 

Latest Updates:

A status conference has been set for April 16, 2024 at 10:00 AM. The final pretrial conference is set for September 27, 2024 at 11:00 AM. Jury trial is set for October 14, 2024 at 9:30 AM. All hearings are set to be held in Courtroom 30A before Judge John D. Bates.

In a detention hearing on April 18, 2023, defendant Okafor was ordered to remain detained pending trial.

Criminal Charges:  Ndubuisi Joseph Okafor, M.D., 63, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was charged on April 11, 2023 in U.S. District Court on a 29-count Superseding Indictment for conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances, maintaining a drug involved premises, and illegally distributing prescriptions for narcotics in exchange for cash. According to court documents, Okafor allegedly distributed oxycodone and promethazine with codeine to individuals outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose from his medical practice in Washington, D.C.

As part of the conspiracy as charged in the Superseding Indictment, Okafor would distribute controlled substance prescriptions to co-conspirators whom he knew to be abusing or diverting the medication, in names and addresses requested by his co-conspirators, even when he knew the names or addresses were false. Okafor is alleged to have distributed dangerous and highly addictive controlled substances via medically unnecessary prescriptions to co-conspirators in at least thirty-seven states nationwide and had knowledge that co-conspirators were traveling from in and around Washington, D.C. to states as far as California, Florida, and Maine to have these illicit prescriptions filled. As part of the conspiracy, Okafor was paid in cash by his co-conspirators for each prescription issued. In addition to the charge of conspiracy, Okafor stands charged with one count of Maintaining a Drug Involved Premises, and 26-counts of controlled substance distributions outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose.

Okafor was previously indicted in April 2023 for 16 counts of distribution of controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose.

For more information about the charges, please see below:

Indictment
Press Release
Superseding Indictment

Information regarding available treatment programs and where patients can turn for assistance can be found below:

Maryland: Patients receiving care from this practice that wish to obtain information on how to find treatment for mental and substance use disorders, where to access naloxone and other harm reduction services, and information about crisis helplines can utilize these Maryland resources:

• Search for substance use treatment facilities through https://findtreatment.gov/ 
• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org, a Maryland suicide and behavioral health crisis hotline.
• Naloxone:  Public Overdose Response Programs in Maryland supply naloxone and may be found using this list. You can also visit https://health.maryland.gov/pha/NALOXONE/Pages/Home.aspx to see a locator map.  Naloxone may also be found in your local pharmacy and billed to insurance and Medicaid.
   

District of Columbia: District of Columbia residents needing information about mental health or substance use disorder services, please call the Department of Behavioral Health 24/7 Access Helpline 1-888-793-4357 or visit www.dbh.dc.gov.

In addition, those needing access to opioid treatment service can contact, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 24/7 National Helpline for referrals to treatment services at 1-800-662-4359.

Medications obtained illicitly are very dangerous as they are often not what they appear, and frequently contain contaminants and extremely potent substances such as fentanyl that greatly increase the risk of overdose and death.

Victim Impact Statement: If you would like to submit a Victim Impact Statement, you may do so by mailing the Victim Impact Statement to: Victim Witness Unit, U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Fraud Section, 10th & Constitution Avenue, NW, Bond Building, Room 4416, Washington, DC 20530. You also may submit the Victim Impact Statement via email at VictimAssistance.fraud@usdoj.gov or by fax at: (202) 514-3708.

Victim Impact Statement

The information on this website will be updated as new developments arise in the case. If you have any questions, please call the Victim Assistance Line toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or email us at VictimAssistance.fraud@usdoj.gov.

Presumption of Innocence: It is important to keep in mind that an indictment contains allegations only, and that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.  That presumption requires both the court and our office to take certain steps to ensure that justice is served.

Crime Victims’ Rights Act and Right to Retain Counsel: The Crime Victims’ Rights Act (18 U.S.C. § 3771) applies only to victims of the counts charged in federal court, and thus individuals may not be able to exercise all of these rights if the crime of which the individual is a victim was not charged. Section 377I(c)(2) of this Act requires that we advise you that you have the right to retain counsel. Although the statute specifically sets forth your right to seek advice of an attorney with regard to your rights under the statute, there is no requirement that you retain counsel. The Government may not recommend any specific counsel, nor can the government (or the court) pay for counsel to represent you. Government attorneys represent the United States.

If you elect to obtain counsel to represent your interests, please have your attorney notify this office in writing at: U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Fraud Section, 10th & Constitution Avenue, NW, Bond Building, 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20530, Attention: Victim Witness Unit; fax: (202) 514-3708; or email: VictimAssistance.fraud@usdoj.gov. If you elect not to retain counsel to represent your interests, you do not need to do anything.

Plea Agreements: Please be aware that many criminal cases are resolved by plea agreement between the Department of Justice and the defendant. You should also know that it is not unusual for a defendant to seek to negotiate a plea agreement shortly before trial is scheduled to begin. Plea agreements can be made at any time and as late as the morning of trial, leaving little or no opportunity to provide notice to you of the date and time of the plea hearing. If the court schedules a plea hearing in this case, we will use our best efforts to notify you of available information as soon as practicable. If you want to inform the prosecutor of your views regarding potential plea agreements, or any other aspect of the case, please call the Victim Assistance Line toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or email us at VictimAssistance.fraud@usdoj.gov, and we will put you in touch with the prosecutor.