March 25, 2024 - LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident was sentenced Friday, March 15, 2024, by United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon to eight years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for importing, processing, and distributing nearly 300 pounds of Tapentadol (a Schedule II opioid) across the United States, and laundering drug sale proceeds using shell companies.

According to court documents, Christopher S. Housley, 51, used fraudulent identification to rent postal boxes at several UPS stores in Las Vegas. In January 2021, law enforcement seized parcels containing Carisoprodol, Tadalafil, and Sildenafil inbound from India and addressed to addresses associated with Housley. In total, law enforcement seized nearly 300,000 Tapentadol pills weighing more than 300 pounds.

In July 2021, Housley and a co-conspirator obtained a large industrial pill press; and in October 2021, Housley sought to obtain a Hello Kitty die used to press pills with that logo. After importing and processing the drugs, Housley would distribute them throughout the country.

Furthermore, Housley created two shell companies to aid in paying for the drugs and receiving payments for the drug sales. Between September 2020 and October 2021, the shell companies wired a total of about $116,000 to accounts in India, China, and Singapore. Between July 2021 and January 2022, deposits into those accounts were about $350,000.

On May 3, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a storage unit rented by Housley under a fake name. The storage unit contained Tapentadol, Alprazolam, and other controlled substances.

Pictured: Tapentadol, Alprazolam, and other controlled substances seized by law enforcement from a storage locker rented by Housley.

Housley pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, Tapentadol and 20-counts of money laundering.

United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin Adams for the DEA Las Vegas District Office made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the DEA and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. An Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Nevada prosecuted the case.

If you are aware of controlled substance violations in your community — which may include the growing, manufacture, distribution, or trafficking of controlled substances — please submit your anonymous tip through the DEA Tip Line at https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip.

Source: DOJ Release