Elmont oxycodone ring leaders arrested

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Two remaining leaders of a Long-Island based oxycodone ring that were being sought by the Drug Enforcement Administration since Feb. 21, surrendered Feb. 25.

Joshua Lewis, 26, and Deidreanne Dopwell, 23, both of Elmont, were finally apprehended — four days after the groups other two leaders were arrested — for their roles in the ring, which dealt the tablets in the metropolitan area and along the east coast.

According to federal prosecutors, the ring gained access to more than 100,000 oxycodone pills within the past two years by forging doctors’ prescriptions and having other members of the ring fill them at various pharmacies. The prescriptions, officials said, contained phone numbers of the ring members — not the doctors — for pharmacies that wanted to confirm their legitimacy.

The ring’s other two leaders — Cedric Moss, 46, of Jamaica, and Michael Thomas, 26, of Shirley, were arrested on Feb. 21.

Lewis, who was accused of handling the daily operations of the ring, was released on $500,000 bond. Dopwell, who was accused of being the person who would answer the phone anytime a pharmacy for check for a prescription’s legitimacy, was released on $250,000 bond.

All four ringleaders face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.