L.A. Area Attorney Charged With Illegally Selling Opiates Through Craigslist: DOJ

Oxycodone pain pills are on display on March 23, 2016 in Norwich, Conn. (Credit: John Moore/Getty Images)

Oxycodone pain pills are on display on March 23, 2016 in Norwich, Conn. (Credit: John Moore/Getty Images)

A Los Angeles area attorney suspected of illegally selling oxycodone pills through Craigslist has been arrested by federal investigators, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday.

Jackie Ferrari is charged with one count of distributing a controlled substance and is accused of selling 50 oxycodone pills for $1,200 to a law enforcement source “with a long history of purchasing narcotics,” according to an affidavit in the case. She allegedly texted the informant and other potential customers saying she had other drugs for sale.

The 36-year-old Downey resident is expected to appear in federal court on Tuesday and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if convicted of the charge.

A criminal complaint was filed against Ferrari, who officials believe recently joined a Beverly Hills law firm, on Jan. 15.

Federal investigators began their probe into her alleged drug trafficking following a fatal fentanyl overdose in August of a 22-year-old woman, whose phone had messages that initially appeared to indicate Ferrari may have sold her the drugs.

Despite authorities no longer believing that theory, they continued to investigate Ferrari.

An affidavit states there is evidence she is a “large-scale trafficker” of opiates sold through Craigslist, where she has a “long history” of selling drugs with coded names such as “roxy dolls” for Roxicodone, “Chinese white rice” for powdered heroin often mixed with fentanyl and “black rice” for black tar heroin.

The document also alleges two different police departments in the Los Angeles area gained information in late 2017 about her alleged drug dealing.

The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The Costa Mesa Police Department and Cypress Police Department also assisted in the efforts.

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