Leader Of Pharmacy Break-In Ring Sentenced

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Larry J. Utley, II, 39, of Reynoldsburg was sentenced Friday to 115 months imprisonment for conspiring with others to commit four pharmacy break-ins in Columbus in 2007 and 2008 and stealing prescription drugs in order to re-sell them.

Utley pleaded guilty on November 7, 2008 to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute narcotics, four counts of burglary of a business registered with the DEA, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Utley was also ordered to forfeit the vehicle used to commit the robberies and $28,660 seized in cash as proceeds of the burglaries.

Columbus Police officers arrested Utley and two others on February 22, 2008 after two of the burglaries occurred. The Walgreen’s store located at 4890 N. High Street, Columbus, Ohio, was burglarized around 3 a.m. Surveillance video showed two suspects prying the front door, forcing the pharmacy door open, prying open the cabinets containing the drugs, then forcing the rear storage door and leaving through the rear fire exit within three minutes.

At about 4:30 a.m. that same day, a witness saw two men breaking into a Walgreens at 5555 New Albany Road, E. in New Albany while a third individual waited in an SUV. The witness gave Columbus Police the license number of the SUV.

Later that morning, Columbus Police officers stopped the SUV and found a trash bag in the rear compartment along with a blue crow bar and large screwdriver.

Columbus police recovered a total of 31,617 dosage units of controlled substances from the SUV and the residence where Utley lived. The estimated street value of the drugs is at least $300,000. The drugs recovered included fentanyl, hydromorphone, methadone, morphine, oxymorphone, oxycodone, methylphenidate, hydrocodone, and codeine.

Utley also admitted robbing a Mediserv pharmacy at 100 N. Murray Hills Road on January 12, 2007, and a Walgreens pharmacy at 5195 Hamilton Road on February 13, 2008.

Three others from Columbus have been sentenced for their roles in the robberies:

Eric M. Hutson, 23, pleaded guilty on March 23, 2009 to one count of burglary of a controlled substance and was sentenced July 24, 2009 to 12 months and one day imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.

Sherika S. Moore, 27, pleaded guilty on October 10, 2008 to one count of burglary of a controlled substance and was sentenced on April 17, 2009 to three years’ probation and ordered to pay $4,781.54 in restitution.

William A. Smith, 31, pleaded guilty on November 25, 2008 to one count of burglary of a controlled substance and was sentenced on May 14, 2009 to serve 27 months incarceration, three years of supervised release and pay a restitution joint and several with co-defendants in the amount of $10,052.80.

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