North Carolina Man Indicted for Receiving and Selling Misbranded Silicone for Buttocks Injections

Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted Vinnie Lysander Taylor, a/k/a “T,” age 44, of Wilmington, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Georgia, on charges of receiving and selling industrial grade silicone, but representing to customers that it was medical grade silicone.  The indictment was returned on August 3, 2015.

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Antoinette V. Henry of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations’ Metro Washington Field Office; Chief Mark A. Magaw of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela D. Alsobrooks.          

According to the nine-count indictment, the only injectable silicone products approved or cleared for marketing by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were ophthalmic devices for the treatment of eye injuries, such as, for example, detached retinas.  These products were regulated by FDA as prescription medical devices.

The indictment alleges that Taylor obtained food grade liquid silicone from a company in Pennsylvania, which was produced and intended to be used as a lubricant and release agent in, among other things, food processing, food treatment, and food transportation and shipment. Taylor traveled to Prince George’s County, Maryland, and elsewhere, and in exchange for money, injected the food grade silicone into the buttocks of customers who wanted larger or fuller buttocks. When used in this fashion, liquid silicone is a medical device subject to regulation by the FDA.

According to the indictment, from approximately September 30, 2008 through December 2, 2014, Taylor placed approximately 180 orders for gallon jugs of liquid silicone with the company that produced the food grade liquid silicone. Taylor stored the liquid silicone in plastic bottles that were not labeled nor approved by the FDA for that purpose.  Therefore, the liquid silicone was adulterated and misbranded.

The indictment alleges that Taylor, who was not a licensed medical practitioner, falsely represented to customers and victims to whom he administered liquid silicone injections that the procedure was safe.  In addition, Taylor falsely told customers that he used medical grade silicone, when in fact the silicone was not medical grade silicone. Between September 2013 and September 2014, Taylor allegedly injected seven women in Prince George’s County with food grade liquid silicone in exchange for pay. 

Taylor faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison for each of nine counts of receipt of a misbranded and adulterated device for delivery for pay with intent to defraud or mislead.  An initial appearance has not yet been scheduled for Taylor.  Taylor is currently detained on related state charges

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations’ Metro Washington Field Office, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Deborah A. Johnston and William D. Moomau, who are prosecuting the case.