April 22, 2009

Colorado man pleads guilty to running unlicensed Internet pharmacy

SAN JOSE, Calif. - A Colorado Springs, Colo., man pleaded guilty in federal court here today to one count of introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, the result of a two-year investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Fritz Brunz, 64, admitted that from 2003 through May 2005, he owned and operated an Internet pharmacy - http://www.HealthyLifeMeds.com - that sold controlled drugs to customers without the required prescriptions. The medications sold by the pharmacy included such popular brands as Ritalin, Halcion and Xanax.

According to the plea agreement, the prescription drugs sold by http://www.HealthyLifeMeds.com" were considered misbranded for a variety of reasons: they did not contain the advertised dosage; drug labeling failed to provide adequate directions or appropriate warning information; and package labeling was in Spanish.

Brunz purchased the prescription drugs sold by the pharmacy from companies in Mexico and other countries. He then shipped or arranged to have the drugs shipped to his Internet customers across the United States. Neither http://www.HealthyLifeMeds.com nor Brunz possessed the required license to import or distribute these prescription drugs.

Brunz was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2007, at which time he was also charged with distributing controlled substances without a license or prescription.

Brunz has been released on $20,000 bail pending his sentencing July 29. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

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