Owner and Operator of Anti-Aging Center Sentenced for Distributing Growth Hormones

SHREVEPORT, La: United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that Dallas Day Humble, 53, of Monroe, was sentenced Thursday to 27 months in prison and two years of supervised release for conspiracy to import and distribute and distribution of human growth hormones. Humble was also ordered to pay a forfeiture money judgment of $585,648 jointly with co-defendant Linda Bunch Wells.

Co-defendant Linda Bunch Wells, 53, of Monroe, was sentenced Jan. 24, 2013 to 27 months in prison with two years of supervised release for distributing and importing human growth hormones at the Northeast Louisiana Anti-Aging and Wellness Center (NLAW) in Monroe. Co-defendant Paul N. Temple, 56, of Monroe, was sentenced Aug. 31, 2012 to five years supervised probation for facilitation and receipt of human growth hormones he purchased for the center.

According to court documents, Humble, who owned and operated the NLAW, asked Temple in the summer of 2003 to locate a company and buy human growth hormones for distribution at the center. The hormones were part of a so-called anti-aging program for patients. Some of the human growth hormones administered were illegally imported into the United States from China. Humble and his business partners would order hormones from overseas, and the packages would be labeled as non-medical products in order to pass through U.S. Customs.

Under federal law, human growth hormones may only be prescribed for the treatment of specified diseases and medical conditions. Evidence at sentencing revealed that the company administered more than 26,926 units of the hormones over the five-year period totaling more than $406,000 in sales.“The center’s operation facilitated the distribution of a controlled substance that could have caused harm instead of helping those in the community, ” Finley said. “We will not ignore this kind of illegal activity, and any involved in conspiracies should know that they will be investigated and prosecuted.”

The Food and Drug Administration/Office of Criminal Investigations and Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl Campbell prosecuted the case.