Is the louis gallicchio in the article the same one as in the video at 4.28. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxpIe2043sM&feature=related

18 Charged in Drug Ring That Sold to Students

By JOHN HOLL

Published: November 12, 2004

LIZABETH, N.J., Nov. 11 - An associate of the Luchese organized crime family operated an illegal multistate prescription drug ring that employed members of the Bloods street gang, the Bonanno crime family and two New Jersey pharmacists to sell the addictive painkiller OxyContin to college students in the Boston area, prosecutors said on Thursday.


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The Luchese associate, Louis Gallicchio, 64, of Newark, was arrested early on Thursday on charges of conspiracy and other drug crimes for his role in running the operation, which began over a year ago and made as much as $150,000 a week, according to Theodore J. Romankow, the Union County prosecutor.

Under the scheme outlined by prosecutors, Clara Lightsey of East Orange, an associate of Mr. Gallicchio's whom prosecutors described as a professional drug dealer, would buy 1,500 to 2,000 OxyContin pills a week from two Newark pharmacies and from street dealers.

Ms. Lightsey, 46, sold the pills to Mr. Gallicchio, who sold them to Eric Love, 25, of Newark, a member of the Bloods street gang, and Jeffrey Froio of Chandler, Ariz., an associate of the Bonanno crime family, Mr. Romankow said. Those men, in turn, sold the pills to two college students and a third man in the Boston area. The pills were then sold to students at Massasoit Community College and Bridgewater State College for $80 to $100 per pill, Mr. Romankow said.

OxyContin generally sells for $10 to $15 per pill in pharmacies, according to prosecutors.

The two pharmacists involved, according to prosecutors, were Jacob Boadu, 45, of Parsippany, owner of Jacob's Pharmacy in Newark, and Steven Mensah-Narh, 42, of North Brunswick, who worked at the Colonial Health Pharmacy in Newark. They were charged with conspiracy to distribute OxyContin.

"Organized crime is not dead in New Jersey," Mr. Romankow said. "There are sometimes strange bedfellows. No one really expects there would be and is a connection between organized crime figures, street gang members and college students."

The undercover investigation, called Operation Dr. Feelgood, began nearly four months ago, Mr. Romankow said. On Thursday investigators recovered nearly 20,000 pills, $75,000 in cash, and several firearms from Ms. Lightsey's house, he said.

Investigators also found OxyContin pills at a Newark pawnshop owned by Mr. Gallicchio's son, Michael Gallicchio. He was charged with conspiracy to distribute OxyContin.

In all, 18 people who prosecutors said were associated with the drug ring were arrested on Wednesday and Thursday; 14 were from New Jersey. Mr. Gallicchio is being held on $1 million bail. An arraignment is scheduled for Monday. Arrests were also made in Arizona and Massachusetts.

OxyContin, a narcotic pain reliever similar to morphine, has become a popular street drug in recent years because of the euphoric feeling users can get by crushing the pills and then either injecting or snorting the drug, Mr. Romankow said.

Mr. Romankow said the investigation was continuing and that he expected additional arrests to be made in the coming days