A man from Overland Park, Kansas, rebranded imported erectile dysfunction drugs from China and marketed them as herbal remedies for men, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.
Rick Shepard, 60, Overland Park, was sentenced to five years on probation after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to import misbranded drugs. The case was in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kansas.
In his plea, he admitted he was doing business as Epic Products when he sold a product called Euphoric to adult novelty stores in multiple states. He marketed Euphoric as “all natural herbal supplements for male enhancement.”
In fact, the product contained prescription drugs Tadalafil and Sildenafil, the active ingredients in Viagra and Cialis. Shepard purchased the drugs from a supplier in China. He repackaged the capsules, applied his own labels and distributed them to stores in Kansas, Missouri and Colorado, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.
“American consumers are put at serious risk when they are unknowingly exposed to undeclared active pharmaceutical ingredients in products falsely labeled as natural dietary supplements,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles L. Grinstead, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Kansas City Field Office. “FDA remains committed to pursuing those who endanger the U.S. public health by importing and distributing fraudulent and potentially dangerous products.”
McAllister commended the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble for their work on the case.