Long Island Pharmacist Charged in Federal Drug Indictment

A new federal indictment accuses a Long Island pharmacist of conspiring to distribute highly addictive pain medications.

Dr. Lutful Chowdhury already was arrested last year on state charges that he illegally filled dozens of prescriptions for addictive painkillers.

The 15-count indictment was unsealed Monday in U.S. District Court in Central Islip.

Chowdhury is accused of conspiring to distribute oxycodone and fentanyl using forged prescriptions. Prosecutors said his customers used the drugs themselves or re-sold them to others and that Chowdhury allegedly advised his customers to not repeatedly use the same names on the fake prescriptions to avoid detection by the DEA.

Defense attorney William Petrillo said the 62-year-old Chowdury intends to fight the allegations. The pharmacist was freed on $250,000 bond.

Nassau County prosecutors began investigating Chowdhury following a car accident in Hempstead in April 2010. The driver was accused of being under the influence of drugs when she killed a woman mowing her lawn.

Prosecutors allege the woman obtained painkillers from Chowdhury's Baldwin pharmacy.