DEA agents arrested two men Tuesday on federal narcotics charges in connection with the drug overdose death in 2011 of New York Ranger player Derek Boogaard, law enforcement officials tell NBC New York.
Jordan Hart, a former minor league hockey player, was arrested on Long lsland and Oscar Johnson, a physician’s assistant, was arrested in Utah.
Johnson allegedly wrote prescriptions for Hart for nearly 3,000 Percocet pills from 2009 to 2011 even though Hart did not see Johnson for treatment. In November, 2010, Hart began selling the prescriptions to a person identified in court papers as “Player 1,” who suffered from an addiction to painkillers, including oxycodone which is contained within Percocet, court papers say. “Player 1” was identified by prosecutors as Derek Boogaard.
Boogaard died at age 28 on May 13, 2011 from an overdose of alcohol and oxycodone in his Minneapolis apartment nearly two weeks after he last purchased pills from Hart whom he met through a teammate, court papers say.
Boogaard’s NHL career included five seasons with the Minnesota Wild. In October, 2010, he began playing for the NY Rangers but suffered a season ending concussion after an on-ice fight during a game. He played a total of 22 games for the Rangers.
Prosecutors say Boogaard had a history of addiction to prescription painkillers and Ambien.
Later today, Hart will appear in federal court in Manhattan and Johnson will appear in federal court in Salt Lake City.
