News
Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 26, 2006
Contact: Joanna Zoltay
Number: 312-886-2597
Operation
Cyber-Roid Snares Illegal Internet Pharmacy
![Prescription cough syrup seized from Dawn Pharmacy.](chicago102606a_001.jpg) |
Prescription
cough syrup seized from Dawn Pharmacy.
|
OCT 26 -- (Chicago) – Gary
G. Olenkiewicz, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Division of
the Drug Enforcement Administration, along with Patrick Fitzgerald,
United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Michael
E. Cleary, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations,
and Byram W. Tichenor, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue
Service Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago, announced the arrest
of five defendants in two separate criminal cases involving illegal
distribution of prescription drugs and anabolic steroids over the internet.
The DEA, along with
the FDA and IRS began the investigation in 2005 following a complaint
from a Massachusetts man that his son had used his credit card without
permission to purchase anabolic steroids over the Internet from PMeds.com.
![Prescription cough syrup seized from Dawn Pharmacy.](chicago102606a_002.jpg) |
Hydrocodone
also seized at Dawn Pharmacy.
|
“For too long
a virtual medicine cabinet has been open on the Internet with cyber
drug dealers illegally doling out prescription medications. Today we
closed shop on one of these rogue Internet pharmacies,” Mr. Olenkiewicz
said. “Operation Cyber-Roid was successful due to the cooperative
efforts of our partners at the FDA, IRS, and the United States Attorney’s
Office. The DEA will continue to work with our law enforcement partners
to put an end to the diversion of controlled substances.”
Mr. Cleary said: “This
investigation again demonstrates the commitment of FDA’s Office
of Criminal Investigations to aggressively pursue, with the cooperation
of our law enforcement partners like the DEA and IRS, the illegal distribution
of prescription drugs over the Internet by those who greedily place
the health and safety of U.S. consumers at risk to line their pockets.”
Six defendants were
charged in a criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute controlled
substances, including anabolic steroids, through the website PMeds.com.
Gary Calow of Metepec, Mexico, his brother, Larry Calow, of Tinley
Park, Illinois, and Ricky Boros also known as Vince Kwiatkowski of
Oak Brook, Illinois, formed the Internet pharmacy business PurchaseMeds,
Inc., and the website PMeds.com to sell prescription drugs online.
According to the criminal complaint, beginning in January 2003, the
website took orders from the Calow residence in Tinley Park, forwarded
the orders to a site in Metepec, Mexico, and then smuggled anabolic
steroids and other controlled substances into the United States for
shipment to customers. PMeds also allegedly utilized commercial carriers
to ship steroids concealed in electronic equipment and women’s
shoes into the United States. Another defendant, Sergio Oliveira of
Hoschton, Georgia, supplied PMeds with steroids and other controlled
substances from his business in Belize. In return, Gary Calow wire
transferred at least $198,703 to Oliveira’s companies between
November 12, 2003 and March 23, 2006, for payment of controlled substances
and prescription drugs. The complaint further alleges that Randy Soderlund
of Tinley Park and Larry Calow’s daughter, Beth Calow, of Hobart,
Indiana, processed Internet drug orders at the Tinley Park residence.
Also charged in
the conspiracy is Garishkumar Ray, also known as Garish Ray of Glenview,
Illinois, who is charged together with Sam Soans, of India, in a related
criminal complaint. Ray and Soans are charged with conspiracy to distribute
prescription drugs other than for a legitimate medical purpose. In
addition, Ray and Soans were charged with obtaining and dispensing
controlled substances with a fictitious or expired DEA registration
number. Ray is the CEO and president of Dawn National Pharmacy (DNP)
and Soans is the marketing manager of the website dnrxpharmacy.com.
On occasion, DNP filled drug orders for the Calow brothers, who operated
the PMEds website. DEA records show that DNP obtained 101,600 dosage
units of hydrocodone, the generic name for Vicodine, between January
and October 2006, without a valid DEA registration number. Ray and
Soans regularly dispensed controlled substances, including hydrocodone,
over the Internet without a valid doctor’s prescription by utilizing
doctors located in Puerto Rico to approve prescriptions without contact
with patients.
The case is being
prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew M. Schneider.
If convicted, the
counts of conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids or other Schedule
III controlled substances carry a maximum penalty of five years in
prison and a $250,000.00 fine. Ray and Soans face a maximum penalty
of four years in prison on the charges of obtains and dispensing controlled
substances with a fictitious or expired DEA registration number. The
Court, however, would determine the appropriate sentence to be imposed.
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