Charles Jeffrey Edwards, Prescription Drug Diversion, Tennessee 2009

Prescription Drug Ring Exposed: Charles Jeffrey Edwards Pleads Guilty

In a shocking turn of events, Charles Jeffrey Edwards, 52, of Houston, Texas, has pleaded guilty to participating in a massive prescription drug diversion scheme in the Middle District of Tennessee. Edwards faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

According to U.S. Attorney David Rivera, Edwards was the co-owner of Cumberland Distribution, Inc., a business that distributed prescription drugs to pharmacies throughout the United States. Edwards' wife, Brenda Elise Edwards, 43, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy, a charge that carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

The scheme, which lasted from December 2006 through August 2009, involved purchasing prescription drugs from unlicensed and unauthorized sources and reselling them to pharmacies. The Edwards' used warehouses in Nashville, Tennessee, to receive and distribute the diverted drugs, which included medications for HIV/AIDS, antipsychotic, anti-depression, acid reflux, blood pressure, and diabetes.

Charles Edwards further admitted to creating a complex network of distribution companies to conceal the true origin of the drugs. He also admitted to using intermediaries to ship the drugs to Cumberland Distribution, making it appear as though the pharmaceuticals had been purchased from licensed wholesale distributors.

The pharmacies that purchased the diverted drugs were misled into believing that the prescription drugs had been in the custody of licensed wholesale distributors or other authorized distributors since being sold by the original manufacturer. The Edwards' used Federal Express to ship the diverted prescription drugs and inaccurate pedigree documents to the pharmacies.

Charles Edwards and his wife Brenda are scheduled to be sentenced on November 24, 2014. The guilty pleas bring an end to a lengthy investigation into the prescription drug diversion scheme, which has left a trail of devastation in its wake. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this story and provide updates as more information becomes available.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdtn/pr/two-plead-guilty-prescription-drug-diversion-scheme