Five members of a Houston-based organization are facing federal charges for their involvement in a series of break-ins at rural pharmacies in Western Iowa and Western Nebraska.
These incidents, which occurred in May and June of 2022 and 2023, are part of a larger conspiracy being prosecuted by the Eastern District of Arkansas. The broader case involves 42 individuals from Houston’s Fifth Ward who are accused of breaking into more than 200 pharmacies across 31 states, stealing an estimated $12 million worth of controlled substances.
The five individuals charged in Iowa and Nebraska are part of an ongoing investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Omaha Division, which has worked closely with local and state law enforcement to identify and arrest those responsible. The stolen pharmaceuticals included hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine, Adderall®, and Xanax®, which were transported to Houston and sold illegally.
In 2023 alone, 900 pharmacy burglaries were reported nationwide, resulting in an estimated loss of 3.8 million doses of controlled substances. Within the DEA Omaha Division, which covers Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, 34 pharmacy break-ins have been reported since 2022. Nebraska leads with 17 reported break-ins, while Iowa has reported 11 incidents.
