Two plead guilty in $50M Lilly prescription drug theft

  • Comments
  • Print
Listen to this story

Subscriber Benefit

As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
This audio file is brought to you by
0:00
0:00
Loading audio file, please wait.
  • 0.25
  • 0.50
  • 0.75
  • 1.00
  • 1.25
  • 1.50
  • 1.75
  • 2.00

Two Florida residents pleaded guilty Wednesday to roles in a 2010 Connecticut warehouse theft that prosecutors say involved between $50 million and $100 million in prescription drugs produced by Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co.

Yosmany Nunez, 42, of Southwest Ranches and Alexander Marquez, 41, of Hialeah each pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of transportation of stolen property. They could face up to 10 years in prison at sentencing in February.

Prosecutors said Nunez, Marquez and three others broke into a Lilly warehouse in Enfield in March 2010 and stole thousands of boxes of drugs, including Zyprexa, Cymbalta, Prozac and Gemzar. The theft was believed to be the largest in Connecticut history.

Prosecutors said the men cut a hole in the warehouse roof and disabled the alarm system, then loaded more than 40 pallets of pharmaceuticals onto a tractor-trailer that Marquez drove to Florida. The group stashed them in Miami-area self-storage units, where some were recovered.

Nunez and Marquez, Cuban citizens, were arrested in April. Nunez has been detained. Marquez has been released on $200,000 bond.

Two Miami-area brothers, Amaury Villa and Amed Villa, also Cuban citizens, have pleaded guilty to charges in the Connecticut case and are awaiting sentencing.

Please enable JavaScript to view this content.

Story Continues Below

Editor's note: You can comment on IBJ stories by signing in to your IBJ account. If you have not registered, please sign up for a free account now. Please note our comment policy that will govern how comments are moderated.

Get the best of Indiana business news. ONLY $1/week Subscribe Now

Get the best of Indiana business news. ONLY $1/week Subscribe Now

Get the best of Indiana business news. ONLY $1/week Subscribe Now

Get the best of Indiana business news. ONLY $1/week Subscribe Now

Get the best of Indiana business news.

Limited-time introductory offer for new subscribers

ONLY $1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Get the best of Indiana business news.

Limited-time introductory offer for new subscribers

ONLY $1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Get the best of Indiana business news.

Limited-time introductory offer for new subscribers

ONLY $1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Get the best of Indiana business news.

Limited-time introductory offer for new subscribers

ONLY $1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In