Pharmacist Expected to Plead Guilty to Prescription Drug Crimes

A West Virginia pharmacist is expected to plead guilty to alleged health care and prescription drug crimes, according to The Charleston Gazette.

Paula Butterfield, the pharmacist-in-charge and owner of Trivillian’s Pharmacy, is accused of submitting false claims to Medicare by requesting payment for drugs that were never dispensed. She now faces 2 counts of health care fraud and 1 count of misbranding drugs, The Charleston Gazette reported.

Prosecutors told The Charleston Gazette that Butterfield dispensed both generic and compounded medications, yet billed for brand-name drugs. She also allegedly dispensed drugs that were compounded in an unclean area and used labels and identification numbers associated with brand-name drugs on compounded ones, The Charleston Gazette reported.

The pharmacy faces fines of up to $1 million, plus restitution, and it could see 2 to 10 years of probation. Meanwhile, Butterfield could face up to 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and be forced to pay restitution, as well.

Butterfield and the pharmacy have agreed to pay back $1.1 million in a civil agreement.

The Charleston Gazette reported that Butterfield is no longer employed at Trivillian’s.