Authorities break up regional drug ring

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Authorities break up regional drug ring
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By Derrick Perkins (File Photo)

Federal and local law enforcement officials Friday declared a regional prescription drug ring that included two city residents no more.

The announcement followed the sentencing of two of seven of the group’s members. Mostaffa Mohamed Al Nimiry, 24, of Alexandria, and Jacqueline Alfaro, 22, of Fairfax, received four and three years in prison, respectively, after pleading guilty to a charge of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone. Both will serve three years of supervised release as well.

Authorities said the group’s leaders forged prescriptions and sent runners to area pharmacies to have them filled, at times using insurance programs to defray the cost. For payment, they received between 10 and 15 of the 60 to 120 pills prescribed.

The remainder was sold, fetching $30 to $45 per pill, officials said. Authorities believe the ring’s members distributed more than 20,000 oxycodone pills during its run in Northern Virginia.

Four other members of the group are awaiting sentencing, all having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute oxycodone: Jennifer Hagerup, 29, of Great Falls; Christopher Bryant, 25, of Sterling; Olivia Lee, 22, of Herndon; and Hilina Damte, 25, of Alexandria.

An alleged seventh member, Matias Garcia, 23, of Sterling, has been charged with conspiracy to distribute the prescription drug, but has not yet entered a plea, according to officials.

Law enforcement agencies from across the region collaborated to break up the ring, including officials from the FBI’s Washington field office and investigators with police departments in the City of Alexandria, and Loudoun, Prince William, Montgomery and Fairfax counties.

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