DES MOINES, IA – On Wednesday, November 28, 2018, United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger sentenced Des Moines residents, Scott William Twaddle, age 51, to 12 months and one day in prison, and Jana Marie Harmon Twaddle, age 52, to three years of probation with two months of home detention for Dispensing Prescription Drugs Without a Valid Prescription While Held for Sale, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Scott Twaddle was ordered to serve one year of supervised release following his imprisonment and pay a $10,000 fine. Both defendants forfeited $200,000 in U.S. currency seized from their residence during the investigation and were ordered to pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

According to the plea agreements entered on July 25, 2018, the Twaddles admitted that from about October 2014 to December 7, 2016, with the intent to defraud and mislead state and federal regulators, the Twaddles sold certain injectable Vitamin B12 prescription drugs to end users through websites, including www.medsupplystore.net. The Twaddles sold these prescription drugs, which were also “unapproved new drugs” without first obtaining prescriptions from the end user. Previously, in June 2014, the United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) and the Iowa Board of Pharmacy conducted an on-site inspection of Medical Supply Liquidators LLC, a warehouse and distributor of prescription drugs including various assortments of injectable Vitamin B12, operated by the Twaddles in the Des Moines area. At that time, the Twaddles dispensed prescription drugs without any valid prescriptions to end users via www.medicalsupplyliquidators.com. In June 2014, the FDA inspection team specifically informed the Twaddles that their distribution of prescription drugs without first receiving proof of a prescription from the customer violated federal law.

“Illegally dispensing prescription drugs can put consumers’ health at risk,” said Charles L. Grinstead, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations’ Kansas City Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who jeopardize U.S. consumers’ health and safety.”

“It is our sincere desire that this prosecution and the resulting sentences will serve as a deterrent to anyone who may be tempted to violate this very important health and safety statute,” said United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum.

This matter was investigated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

Topic(s): 

Consumer Protection

Prescription Drugs

Component(s): 

USAO - Iowa, Southern

Contact: 

Rachel J. Scherle 515-473-9300 Rachel.Scherle@usdoj.gov