BELLEVILLE —
A Belleville woman pleaded guilty last week in Newark Federal Court to leading a conspiracy to illegally obtain and distribute oxycodone in New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Victoria Horvath, 43, faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine when she is sentenced June 20.
According to Fishman’s office, Drug Enforcement Administration investigators — using confidential sources, physical surveillance and recorded text messages and phone calls — discovered that members and suppliers of a drug-trafficking organization secured prescriptions for the painkiller oxycodone and other controlled substances from various doctors in New Jersey, filled them at pharmacies in Belleville and elsewhere, and sold the drugs for a profit.
The investigation identified Horvath as a senior member of the trafficking ring.
Authorities said Horvath admitted that, between Feb. 5 and Aug. 13, 2014, she personally went to various doctors’ offices, obtained oxycodone prescriptions, had them filled, and sold the drugs to members of the conspiracy and others.
She also drove conspirators to doctors and assisted in getting their prescriptions filled and the pills sold.
For example, in February 2014, Horvath reportedly sold 119 oxycodone pills to an undercover law enforcement officer in exchange for $2,020.
Fishman’s office reported that individuals originally charged with Victoria Horvath — including Daniel Horvath, 27; Monica Horvath, 22; Johnny Horvath, 46; Tony Marco, 47, and Steven Horvath, 45, all of Rutherford; and Justin Farraj, 24, of Newark — have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
Brian Perez, 23, was sentenced to 40 months in prison in September 2014, and Luis Rivera, 25, was sentenced to 54 months last August.
Charges were dismissed against Belleville pharmacist Vincent Cozzarelli after his death in April 2014.
The indictment remains pending against six other alleged conspirators.
