{"id":28403,"date":"2016-12-13T19:41:24","date_gmt":"2016-12-14T03:41:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=28403"},"modified":"2016-12-13T19:42:25","modified_gmt":"2016-12-14T03:42:25","slug":"feds-calif-man-sold-pet-meds-without-prescriptions-illegal-u-s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=28403","title":{"rendered":"Feds: Calif. Man Sold Pet Meds Without Prescriptions, Some Illegal in U.S."},"content":{"rendered":"

LOS ANGELES<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

A Laguna Hills man was arrested this morning on charges that he used the internet to sell misbranded veterinary medications without a prescription, according to officials.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"LosSean Gerson<\/strong>, 48, the owner of a business called Vaccination Services in Lake Forest, was taken into custody Tuesday by special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement\u2019s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Food and Drug Administration\u2019s Office of Criminal Investigations, and the Environmental Protection Agency. <\/span><\/p>\n

Gerson was arrested pursuant to a two-count criminal complaint filed on Dec. 6. <\/span><\/p>\n

The complaint alleges that Gerson delivered into interstate commerce two misbranded drugs: Comfortis, an anti-flea medication, and ciprofloxacin, a powerful antibiotic commonly called \u201cCipro\u201d that can be used in dogs and cats to treat skin, respiratory and urinary tract infections. <\/span><\/p>\n

The complaint, which contains one felony count and one misdemeanor count, alleges that the drugs were knowingly dispensed without a prescription.<\/span><\/p>\n

This week\u2019s arrest marks the second time Gerson has been linked to the illegal sale of pet medications and products. He pleaded guilty in Harris County, Texas, in 2014 to state charges of delivery of a dangerous drug, specifically a prescription drug called Clenbuterol.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the affidavit filed in connection with this week\u2019s charges, following that conviction, Gerson agreed to work as a confidential informant for authorities, with the stipulation he could not sell animal prescription drug products.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The affidavit in support of the new complaint alleges that Gerson sold Comfortis that was designed for the South African market and was not approved for distribution in the U.S., according to officials.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cUncontrolled distribution of antibiotics and medication pose a threat to public safety, including the fostering of antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria,\u201d said U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker. \u201cThe drugs involved in this case allegedly were distributed without the supervision of a licensed professional, which greatly increases the risk of unintended consequences beyond the animals taking the medication.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

According the affidavit, Gerson allegedly used several websites \u2013 including www.fleastuff.com, www.mydoghasfleas.xyz and www.fleaandtickstuff.com \u2013 to market prescription animal products to buyers without valid prescriptions, rendering the medications misbranded. <\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, federal law prohibits the importation and sale of veterinary medicines that have not been approved by the FDA and EPA for use in this country.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Federal investigators also executed a search warrant at a Laguna Hills storage unit linked to Gerson, where they seized a variety of veterinary prescription products.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gerson is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>If he is convicted of two counts in the complaint, Gerson would face a statutory maximum sentence of four years in federal prison.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

LOS ANGELES A Laguna Hills man was arrested this morning on charges that he used the internet to sell misbranded veterinary medications without a prescription, according to officials. Sean Gerson, 48, the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28405,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28403","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home-main-slider","category-u-s-department-of-justice"],"yoast_head":"\nFeds: Calif. 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