Two pharmacists working in south Denver, Colorado, pleaded guilty in federal court to felony charges tied to the illegal dispensing and distribution of controlled substances, including opioids. The case was brought by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado under case number 16-cr-00122.
The DEA Denver Division investigated the matter alongside federal prosecutors. Pharmacists registered with the DEA are responsible for ensuring that controlled-substance prescriptions they fill are issued for a legitimate medical purpose, and the charges centered on dispensing that fell outside those obligations.
The guilty pleas, announced in October 2018, resolved the criminal charges against both pharmacists. The press release does not state the sentences imposed or describe the volume of medication involved.