September 11, 2017: Knoxville Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Defraud the FDA
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U.S. Department of Justice Press Release
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For Immediate Release |
United States Department of Justice Western District of Virginia |
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Billy Groce Shipped Illegal Drugs to Carroll County Cooperative for Illegal Resale
Abingdon, VIRGINIA – A Tennessee man, who operated a business that created illegal drugs for the purpose of evading existing Food and Drug Administration laws, pleaded guilty last week in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Abingdon to a federal conspiracy charge, Acting United States Attorney Rick A. Mountcastle announced.
Billy K. Groce, 65, of Knoxville, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty last week to a one count Information that charged him with conspiracy to defraud the United States by impeding, impairing obstructing and defeating the lawful functions of the Food and Drug Administration.
According to evidence presented by Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer, Groce operated a business that was created for the purpose of illegally circumventing the FDA’s regulation of the interstate shipment and labeling of veterinary drugs. Groce’s business illegally obtained, stored, sold and caused to be shipped, drugs from veterinary drug manufacturers and distributers. Groce’s business was not a licensed wholesale, a licensed pharmacy or a veterinary clinic.
Groce shipped drugs to co-conspirator Marlin Webb, who was the store manager at the Carroll County Cooperative. Webb then illegally sold the veterinary prescription drugs through the cooperative. Webb previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the FDA and was sentenced to one year of probation and paid $125,000 in forfeiture and other payments at the time of his guilty plea.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations and the Virginia Department of Health Professions. Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer prosecuted the case for the United States.
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