Four Maryland residents, two from Montgomery County, have been sentenced in federal court for their roles in a prescription drug distribution conspiracy involving an Annandale doctor convicted of illegally distributing thousands of oxycodone pills and large quantities of prescription cough syrup.
Yared Michael Tesfaye, 29, of Montgomery Village, received the longest sentence of the four and was ordered to serve 60 months in federal prison. Elhadj Malick Diallo, 32, of Silver Spring, was sentenced to time served, approximately 13 months.
Cameron Isaiah Lewis, 24, and Raymono Alfonzo Russell II, 25, both of Bowie, were sentenced to eight months and 10 months in federal prison, respectively. All four previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute Schedule II controlled substances and to acquiring promethazine-codeine solution by fraud.
The conspiracy involved Dr. Rotimi Iluyomade, an Annandale-based physician who was convicted of distributing more than 7,000 oxycodone pills, 34,000 milliliters of hydrocodone-chlorpheniramine solution, commonly known by the brand name Tussionex, and 107,000 milliliters of promethazine-codeine solution, sometimes referred to as “lean.”
According to federal prosecutors, during at least 2023 and 2024, Iluyomade and his co-conspirators arranged for fraudulent prescriptions for controlled substances to be sent to pharmacies across the country. The prescriptions were transmitted to pharmacies in more than a dozen states, including Maryland and Virginia. Prosecutors said at least 70 of the illegal prescriptions were transmitted to or filled at pharmacies in the Western District of Virginia.
As part of the scheme, individuals visited Iluyomade’s Crossover Medical Center in Annandale and provided lists containing names, addresses and identifying information for purported patients. They then requested that prescriptions be sent to pharmacies around the country.
According to court documents, Tesfaye was the first co-conspirator to visit Iluyomade to obtain fraudulent prescriptions. In addition to obtaining prescriptions for himself, prosecutors said Tesfaye sold “slots” with the doctor to other co-conspirators, allowing them to obtain fraudulent prescriptions.
Lewis and Diallo traveled to pharmacies to pick up prescriptions written by Iluyomade and then distributed the drugs for profit, according to prosecutors. Authorities said the two sometimes posted photographs on social media to facilitate sales and paid Iluyomade $300 for each fraudulent prescription.
The investigation began in September 2023 when Russell attempted to pick up a fraudulent prescription at a pharmacy in Honaker, Virginia. After Russell was arrested, authorities searched his vehicle and discovered multiple controlled-substance prescription bottles bearing different patient names. Prosecutors said the prescriptions had all been written by Iluyomade and filled at pharmacies in several Virginia communities.
The investigation involved the Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Virginia State Police, Russell County Sheriff’s Office, Salisbury Police Department, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Nebraska State Police, HHS Office of Inspector General and Food and Drug Administration.
