Doctor, pharmacist charged with distributing $1.6 million doses of oxycodone

HOUSTON -- Richard Arthur Evans, M.D., 70, and David D. Devido, R.Ph., 76, both of Houston, have been charged in a 24-count indictment alleging a conspiracy to commit distribution of controlled substances, mail fraud, health care fraud and money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson along with Special Agent in Charge Joseph Arabit of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Special Agent in Charge Lucy Cruz of Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).

The indictment was returned under seal Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015. Both men surrendered to federal authorities this morning at which time the indictment was unsealed.

Evans and Devido are charged with conspiring to distribute the prescription drugs oxycodone and hydrocodone, both highly addictive and highly abused pain relievers. Both drugs are semi-synthetic opiates which can be only acquired legally by prescription and dispensed by a pharmacist. As a physician, Evans wrote prescriptions and Devido dispensed the drugs, according to the indictment.

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