Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Northern District of Oklahoma 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 24, 2023

Two Tulsa men were indicted for introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce and were arrested today, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Aaron Michael Thomas, 41, and Darren Doils Means, 68, were both charged in a three-count indictment for introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, in violation of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act.

“A federal grand jury indicted Aaron Thomas and Darren Means for their alleged criminal actions associated with drugs, like gabapentin, xylazine, and pregabalin,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This United States Attorney’s Office will continue to pursue cases against healthcare providers who skirt FDA regulations developed to ensure the safety of individuals receiving prescription drug treatments.”

“The distribution of misbranded drugs in the U.S. marketplace puts all consumers’ health at risk. FDA will remain vigilant in our efforts to protect the U.S. public health from potentially dangerous products,” said Special Agent in Charge Ronne G. Malham, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Chicago Field Office.

According to court documents, Thomas and Means are alleged to have introduced misbranded gabapentin, xylazine, and pregabalin into interstate commerce. Thomas and Means are alleged to have been running a business on the dark web where they were selling prescription drugs without prescriptions, or appropriate branding or labelling.

If convicted, Thomas and Means each face up to 3 years in prison, per count.

The Food & Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan E. Michel and Aaron M. Jolly are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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