United States of America v. Brandon Piper

Grand Rapids, Michigan, criminal defense lawyers represented the Defendant charged with conspiracy to introduce misbranded drugs into interstate commerce with intent to defraud and mislead in violaiton of 18 U.S.C. 371.

Brandon Piper, age 35, of Gobles, Michigan, helped perpetrate an extensive scheme to import unapproved, misbranded prescription drugs, including peptides, which are popular weight loss drugs, into the United States from China for distribution to customers. The customers purchased the illicit drugs first on a Canadian website and later on Piper’s own site – www.MilestonePurity.com. Both websites claimed that the drugs were “for research purposes only” even though Piper and his co-conspirators knew that customers would be using them personally. Many of the drugs also purported to be a “Product of the USA” even though conspirators purchased them from China.

Examples of the drugs sold on the websites included semaglutide and tirzepatide. Both drugs require the purchaser to have a prescription from a licensed practitioner before they can be dispensed. However, the drugs were sold without obtaining prescriptions from customers and were shipped to customers without adequate directions for use.

FDA-approved semaglutide products bear a boxed warning, commonly referred to as a “black box warning,” which is the strongest warning FDA requires. This warning indicates that the drug carries a significant risk of serious or even life-threatening adverse effects. The boxed warning addresses the risk of thyroid C-cell tumors. FDA-approved tirzepatide also bears a boxed warning addressing the risk of thyroid C-Cell tumors. Piper’s drugs omitted these warnings.

The Defendant was found guilty and was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment; 3 years supervised release; $1,000.00 fine; special assessment $100.00.