Authorities have arrested 44 people in what federal officials say was a conspiracy to distribute the painkiller oxycodone.

Of those arrested on Friday, Norman police say 24 were federal drug conspiracy defendants and 20 others had state warrants. The arrests came after a yearlong investigation.

In a court affidavit, an FBI agent says members of the Compton family of Norman and Noble, who own a heating and air conditioning company, used the business to operate the drug ring and store some pain tablets.

The agent says in the affidavit that the family members used others to obtain OxyContin tablets for them by scheduling doctors' appointments and obtaining prescriptions for oxycodone.

Court papers do not indicate if any of the Compton family members have attorneys.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.