On Saturday, I noted that the Government moved to dismiss the federal indictment against the remaining internet pharmacy defendants in U.S. v. Hernandez (Dr. Hannibal Edwards, Lawrence Pinkoff, Serge Francois, pharmacy Concept RX, Frank Hernandez and Lifeline Pharmacy, Inc.). Today, Judge Zloch of the Southern District of Florida granted the Government’s Motion to Dismiss. Additionally, as I […]
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The JIVE internet pharmacy trial commenced last Monday in Orlando, FL. Of the original defendants, only Jude LaCour, Christopher Tobin, Akhil Baranwal, James Pickens and Geunnet Chebssi remain. Jude LaCour is representing himself. Jeffrey Lacour, Hudsen Smith, Alexis Roman Torres, Andrew Desonia, Margaret McIntosh and Abel Lau have all pled guilty. The content on this […]
Recall that last month the Judge in the U.S. v. Hernandez internet pharmacy trial declared a mistrial after numerous jurors admitted to doing their own independent research during jury deliberations. This occurred after the Judge previously dismissed defendants Steve Marhee, Edgar Cruz, Thomas Walker and Everett Echols, M.D. with prejudice after the prosecution commented in closing arguments […]
The development of Internet pharmacy law is really only in its infancy. This may come as a surprise to those who have witnessed numerous pre Ryan Haight Act prosecutions over the last five years. While there have been many indictments, convictions, mistrials and acquittals in the past few years, Appellate Courts have yet to render decisions on some of […]
In December 2008, I reported on an internet pharmacy case, in which Colorado doctor Christian Hageseth was being prosecuted for “practicing medicine without a license in California.” The charge stemmed from a 2005 prescription (Prozac) issued to Stanford student John McKay via USAnewRx.com, an online pharmacy. McKay later committed suicide. Last week Hageseth pled no contest and will […]
After pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, Steven Rosner was sentenced to 33 months by a Judge in the Northern District of Texas for his role in an internet pharmacy operation. According to the original 201 count indictment, Rosner operated offerpills.com and clickonmed.net to facilitate the distribution of controlled substances, paid doctors Arceli […]
The judge in U.S. v. Hernandez (06-600027), a federal internet pharmacy trial in Florida (in its eighth week), has declared a mistrial, after numerous jurors admitted to doing their own internet research via their handheld phones during deliberations. The jury was leaning towards an acquittal. This trial has certainly had its share of distractions. Only a few weeks prior to […]
After an administrative hearing last December, an administrative judge revoked the licenses of Hogan’s Pharmacy owners, Mark and Jolane Poindexter, and pharmacist Rick Kloxin for their involvement with an internet pharmacy. According to the Hutchinson News: The judge determined that [they] . . . essentially were running two different businesses out of Hogan’s Pharmacy in Lyons. The […]
Several months ago I linked all of my more extensive criminal defense internet pharmacy law and Ryan Haight Act articles (discussing both controlled and noncontrolled substances) in one blog post. Below is my second attempt at doing so, given that I have written much more since then. Keep in mind that the legal landscape for internet pharmacy […]
Kirtar Munshi was sentenced to one year in prison and ordered to pay a $6,000 fine and forfeit $219,000 in proceeds for his role in the sale of prescription drugs via an internet pharmacy. Munshi pled guilty in July 2008 to conspiring to sell generic versions of Viagra, Cialis and Levitra, which were imported from India, over […]
