Charges Allege Philadelphia Pharmacist Filled Forged Prescriptions and Laundered the Profits

PHILADELPHIA—An information was unsealed today charging Bevis Vanterpool, 35, of Philadelphia, with conspiring to distribute oxycodone, a Schedule II narcotic controlled substance, and money laundering, in violation of federal drug and money laundering laws, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. Vanterpool is a pharmacist who owned and operated Tracemark Pharmacy at 4839 North Broad Street in Philadelphia. According to the charges, from May 2010 until December 19, 2011, Vanterpool accepted and filled nearly 5,000 fraudulent prescriptions for at least 447,761 milligrams of oxycodone, when he knew that the prescriptions were forged and fraudulent, as they had not been written by physicians. It is further alleged that from May 2010 until December 19, 2011, Vanterpool laundered proceeds of this illegal activity totaling at least $1,180,000.

If convicted, Vanterpool faces a maximum possible sentence of 40 years in prison, three years of supervised release up to a lifetime of supervised release, a fine of up to $1.25 million, and a $200 special assessment, along with forfeiture of money and property totaling $822,428.58 in drug proceeds and $1,180,000 as the proceeds of money laundering.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion Unit, and the Philadelphia Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary E. Crawley.