7 Charged With Felonies After Selling Prescription Meds Illegally: DA

BRENTWOOD, NY — Seven Brentwood store employees have been arrested and charged with multiple felony counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance for allegedly selling illegal and controlled substances and prescription medications, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced.

According to the DA, Roxana Ramos Argueta, Xenia Miranda Rodriguez, Kevin Claros, Idencis Chavez-Games, Anna Griselda Rivera, Teresa Ramos Claros and Yesica Claros Ramos were arrested and arraigned for fifth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance for allegedly dispensing prescription medications out of the Claros Variedades convenience stores, the DA said.

The stores are part of a family-owned business owned by the Claros family which operates a total of four stores in Suffolk County and none of them were licensed as pharmacies or authorized to dispense prescription medications, the DA said.

According to the investigation, on September 25, 2024, Suffolk County police executed search warrants at four Claros Variedades locations in Brentwood and Huntington Station. During the searches, police allegedly discovered tramadol and other prescription medications at all four store locations, the DA said.

Tramadol is a prescription opioid analgesic that is most commonly abused by narcotic addicts, chronic pain patients and health professionals, the DA said.

“What this investigation alleges is troubling in many aspects, as these stores have never been licensed, nor allowed to operate as pharmacies,” said Tierney. “Dispensing antibiotics without prescription and selling the Schedule IV controlled substances, like tramadol, over-the-counter without medical authorization is not only against the law, but also dangerous.”

Ramos Argueta, 35, Rodriguez, 24, and Claros, 29, all of Brentwood, were charged with fifth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a D felony, the DA said.

Chavez-Games, 22, of Huntington Station, Ramos Claros, 64, of Brentwood and Griselda Rivera, 45, or Brentwood, were charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a Class D felony, the DA said.

Claros Ramos, 39, of Bay Shore, was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a Class D felony and fifth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance in the Fifth Degree, a Class D felony, the DA said.

On September 26, 2024, District Court Judge Bernard Cheng ordered them released without bail because the charges are considered non-bail eligible under current New York State law, meaning prosecutors cannot request, and judges cannot set, bail, the DA said.

Chaves-Games is due back in court on October 16, while the other six are due back in court on October 17, the DA said.

They are all being represented by Gligoric Garupa.