R. Wayne Murphy, Smuggling and Trafficking, GA, 2023

VALDOSTA, GA – A father and son team running Boston Pharmacy in Boston, Georgia, are trading their white coats for prison jumpsuits after a federal judge handed down sentences today for a pair of interlocking drug schemes. R. Wayne Murphy, age 63, and J. Kevin Murphy, age 36, were convicted of crimes ranging from smuggling counterfeit drugs to blatant illegal distribution, proving that even those entrusted with public health aren’t above breaking the law for a buck.

Wayne Murphy received 36 months imprisonment and a $10,000 fine for introducing adulterated and misbranded drugs into interstate commerce. The scheme involved sourcing drugs like Advair, Crestor and Plavix from Costa Rica, illegally importing them, repackaging them with existing pharmacy labels, and then selling them to unsuspecting customers. U.S. Attorney Michael J. Moore didn’t mince words: “As a pharmacist, Wayne Murphy occupied a unique position of trust in his community. Instead of honoring that trust, Wayne Murphy defrauded his customers and put them at risk for simple gain. He will now pay the price for that choice.”

Meanwhile, son J. Kevin Murphy was sentenced to 18 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute hydrocodone. The investigation revealed Kevin wasn’t just filling prescriptions; he was actively fueling the street drug trade. From May through November 2009, authorities determined Kevin illegally diverted 57,393 hydrocodone pills and 4,000 Xanax pills, selling them to drug dealers for a hefty profit. Moore was blunt: “Instead of providing drugs to people with prescriptions, Kevin Murphy sold them to a drug dealer for resale on the streets. If you sell drugs illegally in the Middle District of Georgia, wearing a lab coat will not save you from justice.”

The Murphys aren’t the only ones facing consequences. They’ve agreed to forfeit $403,496.63 in illegal proceeds – money earned on the backs of addiction and deceit. Two other individuals previously pled guilty in connection with the Boston Pharmacy operation. Arnolfo Capistran pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute Xanax on June 10, 2014, for his role in Kevin Murphy’s distribution network. Karen Dunlap, a former pharmacist at the same location, pled guilty to misprision of a felony on May 5, 2014, indicating she knowingly concealed the criminal activity.

The takedown was a collaborative effort, involving the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Georgia Drugs and Narcotics Agency, the Thomas County Narcotics and Vice Division, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations. C. Richard Allen, Director of the Georgia Drugs and Narcotics Agency, emphasized the importance of the multi-agency cooperation, stating, “These convictions should send a message across both Georgia and Florida that just because you have a pharmacy license, you do not have the right to unlawfully sell prescription drugs of any kind.”

Assistant United States Attorney Peter Leary led the prosecution. Anyone with further inquiries regarding the case is directed to contact Pam Lightsey at the United States Attorney’s Office at 478-621-2603. The case serves as a stark reminder that criminal activity, even when cloaked in a veneer of legitimacy, will be exposed and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The Murphys’ actions demonstrate a callous disregard for the health and safety of the community, and their sentences reflect the severity of their crimes.