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Drug ringleader, pals off to prison

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By ELAINE SILVESTRINI

esilvestrini@tampatrib.com

Published: October 28, 2009

TAMPA - Participants in an oxycodone ring that was run from the car repair shop of a man dubbed "The King of Hudson" are going to federal prison.

Arde Harry Olsen, the ringleader and organizer, was sentenced Tuesday to 20 years behind bars. U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington also ordered him to sign a forfeiture order in which he agrees to pay the federal government $1.1 million, the amount of proceeds he received from the ring.

Olsen, 51, ran the ring from his mechanic's shop at 11923 Pine Forest Drive and his former residence on Denton Avenue, both in Hudson. His wife, Shannon, 45, and son, Jason, 23, have also been sentenced to prison for their involvement in the ring.
Jason Olsen was sentenced to 10 years; Shannon Star Olsen was sentenced to four years. All three also must serve three years of probation.

Fifteen other people have admitted their involvement in the ring and received prison sentences ranging from two years to more than 11 years. All must also serve three years of probation.

One remaining defendant, William Joseph Califano, 29, is scheduled to be sentenced Thursday.

Arde Olsen admitted paying "doctor shoppers" to visit physicians and obtain prescriptions of oxycodone, an addictive pain reliever, which was then distributed to dealers across Florida and beyond.

Olsen paid for the doctor visits and paid to fill the prescriptions at area pharmacies, according to court documents. In some cases, he provided false documents, such as MRI reports, to use at the doctors' offices to obtain the prescriptions.

Olsen kept firearms in his home and business to "protect and enforce his oxycodone trafficking activities," according to his plea agreement. He also paid others to take large quantities of the drug to Tennessee, Kentucky and elsewhere weekly or biweekly.

The other defendants and their prison sentences are:

•Dannie James Mariedth, 50, who received 11 years, eight months

•Anthony Keith Christian, 27, got 11 years, three months

•Debra A Collins, 48, received 11 years, eight months

•Joshua McTavish Brown, 24, got 10 years, one month

•Earle Monroe Silcox, 30, received eight years, one month

•Sarah Lynn Maynard, 25, received seven years, three months

•Anthony Robert Upton, 28, got nine years

•Dennis Ashley Miller, 35, got five years, 10 months

•Donna Jean Bynum, 31, got five years, 10 months

•Billy Ray Hardin, 27, received five years, 10 months

•Jessie Krumm, 21, got five years, 10 months

•Jerald John Gilio Jr., 33, got seven years, three months

•Jereme Lee Gould, 24, received three years, eight months

•Soni Jo Cheesbrough, 27, received three years, eight months

•Amber Marie Morreale, 19, received two years.

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