Pharmacist Convicted of Dispensing Oxycodone Illegally

A Tampa-based pharmacist could face a maximum of 20 years in federal prison after a jury found him guilty of conspiracy to distribute and dispense oxycodone, according to the US attorney’s office for the Middle District of Florida.

Brian C. Weiler, RPh, who had worked as a pharmacist for 32 years, voluntarily forfeited his Florida Pharmacist License, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Based on evidence at his trial, Weiler worked at 2 Tampa pharmacies and filled hundreds of prescriptions for very large doses of oxycodone. Among his customers were drug addicts and members of doctor-shopping organizations who traveled to Weiler’s pharmacies from Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee, according to the US attorney’s office.

The owners of the 2 pharmacies where Weiler worked have been convicted of federal conspiracy charges, as well.

In addition to the local police and sheriff’s office, the Drug Enforcement Administration helped investigate the case. According to The Tampa Tribune, this joint task force has been following the case for 2 years, and so far, 28 individuals have been federally indicted.

Weiler’s pharmacies may be connected to a drug ring that moved 400,000 pills of oxycodone valued at $4 million to states such as Tennessee and Kentucky, where oxycodone is harder to acquire, according to The Tampa Tribune.

Weiler will be sentenced in March 2015.