An OxyCodone-peddling Gramercy doctor and his office manager were arrested on Tuesday as part of a multi-state drug bust, cleverly dubbed Operation Cuba Libre. Dr. Hector Castro (get it?), the founder and medical director of Itzamna Medical Center, faces charges of illegally selling 39 prescriptions for $125 each—28 of which were to a undercover narcotics officer. Police seized roughly $20,000 in cash from a locked box in Castro's home, as well as medical records and computer equipment.
His assistant, on the other hand, was allegedly doing some dirty work of her own. In addition to conspiring with her boss to sell hundreds of out-of-state prescriptions, which cannot be tracked by the health department, Patricia Valera—known around the office as "Kardashian"— is also charged with stealing 155 prescription sheets from the office, which she forged and sold for $500 per sheet.
While arresting Valera and her husband, who also allegedly conspired in the scheme, police uncovered a loaded handgun, around $8,000 in cash and several blank prescription sheets belonging to Castro and his physician brother.
Castro and Valera both pleaded not guilty to the charges, though if convicted, will probably not be profiting off of the hot new generic OxyContin anytime soon.
