Utah Doctor Sentenced to Three Years for Illegal Online Pharmacy

A Utah doctor is being sent to jail for his connection to an illegal online pharmacy that sold more than eight million weight-loss pills manufactured in Mexico.

Dr James A Brinton was sentenced to three years in a federal penitentiary after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute phentermine and conspiracy to commit international money laundering, according to the Desert News. The doctor was one of 18 people who were charged with crimes in connection to LighthouseMeds.com.

The plea agreement says that the offenders sold the weight-loss pills over the internet to people who did not have a prescription and without permission from the Drug Enforcement Authority to sell prescription drugs.

The defendants allegedly paid a supplier in Chihuahua, Mexico, $1.9 million for the phentermine. The money was not sent directly to the supplier but $1.3 million of it was sent to the personal bank account of a man in order to further the scheme.

In order to ensure that consumers are dealing with a reputable online pharmacy, they should visit the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS) website.