Man Sentenced to Maximum 20 Years for Role in Conspiracy to Commit Murder-For-Hire in Shooting of Correctional Officer

Contact Person: Stacey Haynes or William Witherspoon (803) 929-3000

Columbia, South Carolina -----United States Attorney Bill Nettles announced today that a federal grand jury returned a nine-count Indictment charging Florence resident Willard Lester “Les” Willard, age 51, with conspiracy, smuggling and violations of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.  The Indictment alleges that beginning in 2010, Willard ran a fulfillment center for foreign drug companies that illegally sold unapproved pharmaceutical drugs to US residents.  He is also accused of selling unapproved prescription drugs to US customers through a website, www.click1market.com, that he maintained and controlled.  The Indictment alleges that Willard shipped more than 10,000 packages containing the smuggled drugs.

The case was investigated by Special Agents with the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigation, working with Homeland Security Investigations and Inspectors with the United States Postal Inspection Service.  Assistant United States Attorney Eric Klumb is prosecuting the case.

The United States Attorney stated that the charges alleged in the Indictment are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.