Sept. 26, 2006

 

FORMER OWNER OF LATINO GROCERY STORES
TO BE DEPORTED FOR SELLING MISBRANDED DRUGS

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – The owner of a chain of Latino grocery stores in Kansas and Missouri called Latino Y Punto is being deported for selling misbranded medicines manufactured in Mexico.

Samuel Morones-Perales, 38, was sentenced Monday during a hearing before U.S. District Judge Kathryn H. Vratil.

“Within 30 days, Samuel Morones-Perales must leave the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Melgren. “As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from returning to this country.”

Morales’ sentence includes a year of supervised release. He also has agreed to pay a forfeiture of $18,000, which represents the profits from selling drugs that were misbranded and not approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration.

Morones-Perales pleaded guilty to three counts including one count of introducing unapproved new drugs into interstate commerce, one count of misbranding by dispensing prescription drugs without the prescription of a licensed practitioner, and one count of receiving drugs that were misbranded because the labels were in Spanish, not English. The products included Neo-Melubrina and Nordinet, Dolac and Sedalmerck.

Melgren commended the Food and Drug Administration and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Treadway, who prosecuted.

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