Nurse practitioner pleads not guilty

A Brentwood nurse practitioner pleaded not guilty Monday in federal court in Central Islip to illegally trafficking in painkillers.

Rools Deslouches was arrested a month ago by agents of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration as part of a crackdown on the illegal distribution of painkillers such as oxycodone. He was one of 98 people accused of similar charges in a sweep in the metropolitan area.

Deslouches was charged in a 13-count indictment with 11 counts of distribution of oxycodone between June and November 2011, and one count each of attempted distribution of oxycodone and oxymorphone.

Deslouches has been held without bail since his arrest, and his attorney, Marc Gann, said he was in the process of trying to come up with a bail package.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Canty, who called Deslouches "a drug dealer in a lab coat" when he was arrested, declined to comment.

U.S. District Court Judge Sandra Feuerstein ordered Deslouches to be continued to be held, pending future hearings.