Federal prosecutors secured prison sentence in long-running Philadelphia oxycodone distribution conspiracy.
Philadelphia opioid dealer, Michael Emma, 66, who was connected to a long-running illegal opioid operation, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison after admitting to his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute oxycodone. Prosecutors said the case is tied to a group known in South Philadelphia as the “10th and O Crew,” which operated an illicit, street-level drug business for years.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Emma took part in the illegal sale of oxycodone between 2019 and 2024. Court records stated that he and others involved in the drug ring secured prescription pain pills from doctors’ offices and later sold them illegally from a 24-hour restaurant. Members of the group reportedly worked in shifts at the restaurant to keep their drug sales active around the clock. Authorities described the location as a regular meeting place where transactions involving prescription opioids were carried out openly over several years.
Oxycodone is a strong prescription painkiller that is often given to patients recovering from surgery or serious injuries. Because the drug is highly addictive, it has become one of the main substances linked to the U.S. opioid crisis with prescription opioids continuing to fuel overdose deaths across the country. During the investigation, undercover law enforcement agents conducted controlled purchases involving one of Emma’s co-conspirators. After one sale, surveillance teams watched the opioid dealer counting money from the transaction with Emma standing nearby and this evidence was shared in the court proceedings. Emma later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances and was sentenced by a judge to 60 months in prison. Agents were also able to bring charges against other alleged leaders. Michael Procopio received a six-year prison sentence, while Frank Procopio was sentenced to four years and nine months behind bars.
The sentencing phase comes as federal agencies continue targeting opioid distribution rings that have been accused of fueling addiction through illegal sales of these pills. Prescription opioids remain a major concern, according to public health officials, especially as overdose deaths continue to climb nationwide. To address this issue, the National Fraud Enforcement Division was created, which is focused on investigating fraud involving government programs and healthcare systems. Authorities said the division will focus on crimes involving taxpayer money, healthcare fraud, and illegal schemes tied to federal benefit programs. The DOJ also reported that its Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program has charged more than 6,000 individuals since its inception in 2007, with those cases involving more than $45 billion in fraudulent billing connected to government healthcare programs and private insurance companies.
Officials said opioid trafficking and healthcare fraud cases often overlap because illegal prescription drugs can move through medical offices, pharmacies, or organized networks operating outside legal medical systems. Investigators continue monitoring prescription drug activity in several states as part of their broader efforts to reduce illicit sales, and federal prosecutors said the 10th and O Crew prison sentences are intended to hold members of the group accountable for helping to spread highly addictive opioids in Philadelphia, specifically.
Sources:
MEMBER OF PHILADELPHIA’S “10TH & O CREW” SENTENCED IN OXYCODONE CONSPIRACY CASE
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