A Gadsden-area pharmacist has been convicted of drug distribution conspiracy and tax crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Demetrius D. Hardeman of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
Nathan Thomas Carter, 41, of Gadsden, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge R. David Proctor to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and three counts of filing false federal income tax returns
According to the plea agreement, between 2015 and late 2021, Carter conspired with others to distribute controlled substances including oxycodone and hydrocodone. Between February 2018 and 2023, Carter worked as the pharmacist in charge at Midtown Pharmacy in Gadsden. Between 2018 and 2021, records reflect, Midtown Pharmacy ordered at least 80,000 more dosage units of oxycodone 30 mg than the pharmacy dispensed to patients. Carter diverted opioid pills from the pharmacy and sold those pills to other drug distributors. He regularly took distributor bottles from his pharmacy to his house, where he repackaged the pills in plastic bags for resale. The defendant earned about $150,000 in illicit income, per year, which he failed to report or include on his income tax returns in 2019, 2020, and 2021. According to the plea agreement, during the execution of a search warrant at Carter’ house, authorities found more than $110,000 in cash.
The maximum penalty for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances is twenty years in prison. The maximum penalty for each count of filing false federal income tax returns is three years in prison.
The FBI and IRS investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney J.B. Ward is prosecuting the case.
Tags: Drug Trafficking Healthcare Diversion Hydrocodone Oxycodone Pharmacy Crime Pill Mills