Florida Woman Sentenced To Prison, $1.5 Million Forfeiture Judgement For Running Sham Internet Pharmacy
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Valrico, Fla., has been sentenced in federal court to18 months of incarceration and a forfiture judgment of $1.5 million on her conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Marilyn O'Shea, 58.
According to the information presented to the court, O'Shea ran an internet website that arranged for the sale of hydrocodone, a Schedule III controlled substance that is highly abused on the street. The solicited customers could arrange through the website to order their drugs, get an appointment with a doctor working with O'Shea who conducted a sham consultation, and get the prescription filled through an internet pharmacy also working with O'Shea. Customers were offered two to three refills and 90 to 120 pills per prescription. The conspiracy spanned almost five years from December 2002 until October 2007. O'Shea admitted to bringing in $1.5 million dollars during the conspiracy and distributing 40,000 dosage units of hydrocodone.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Fischer stated that, "This was an extensive criminal conspiracy involving considerable planning and development... the website medsnationwide.com lured those who were drug addicts. All of this contributed to a problem that I consider a scourge on our society."
Assistant United States Attorney Nelson P. Cohen prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Food and Drug Administration for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of O'Shea.
