NEW YORK CITY (BNO NEWS) – The ringleader of an OxyContin drug-dealing crew on Wednesday was sentenced to over 11 years in federal prison, prosecutors said.

Jose Marte was sentenced to 135 months in prison for his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute OxyContin in New York City. Marte pleaded guilty to narcotics conspiracy charges in September 2009.

From May 2008 through November 2008, Marte was the ringleader of a group of individual who acquired and distributed thousands of 80-milligram tablets OxyContin, 40-miligram tablets of OxyContin, and Percocet. These drugs are Schedule II narcotics prescribed to treat moderate to severe pain, and are sold on the street as a substitute for illegal narcotics, such as heroin.

Marte recruited individuals who obtained the OxyContin and Percocet through the Medicare program, at a cost of over $900 for every 90-pill prescription. Marte then resold the pills for profit to other drug dealers for further distribution in the Bronx and Connecticut.

His 13 co-conspirators have all pleaded guilty to narcotics charges and/or health care charges for defrauding Medicaid. Additionally, three of five co-conspirators, who were charged in separate cases, have also pleaded guilty.

The case was the result of investigative work by the Drug Enforcement Administration.