Feds Halt North Carolina Pharmacy From Dispensing Opioids, Issue $600K Fine

A North Carolina pharmacy and its owner have to pay a $600,000 civil penalty and stop dispensing opioids or other controlled substances, federal prosecutors said.

Farmville Discount Drug Inc., and its owner and pharmacist-in-charge, Robert L. Crocker were accused of repeatedly filling prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances in violation of the Controlled Substances Act, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release on Monday.

Prosecutors accused the defendants of ignoring “red flags” of drug diversion and drug-seeking behavior when filling prescriptions for controlled substances, the news release said. Many prescriptions raised multiple red flags, but Crocker and Farmville Discount Drug failed to address those issues and ensure the prescriptions were legitimate before filling them, according to the justice department.

Under the court’s order, Crocker will also surrender his pharmacist’s license and never try to renew it. The order also calls for Farmville Discount Drug to permanently surrender its registration with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.