A Butler County pharmacist has pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in a scheme to reuse medications left over from nursing homes, according to federal prosecutors. Gino Cordisco, 47, of Mars, PA, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab. The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song.
Cordisco was the supervisor over a chain of nine pharmacies known as MedFast Pharmacies. The pharmacies supplied nursing home chains with individualized medication packages for patients/residents. If the nursing home had unused pills from prescriptions filled by MedFast or other pharmacies, MedFast delivery drivers were instructed to collect the unused medications and return them to MedFast. Once these drugs were returned to MedFast, the drugs would be removed from their packaging and returned to stock. The pills with different lot numbers, different expiration dates and different manufacturers were comingled and used to fill new prescriptions.
The conduct was initially directed by Cordisco and carried out on a day-to-day basis by Correna Pfeiffer, the immediate supervisor of MedFast Institutional Pharmacy. The evidence would establish that Cordisco was a leader and organizer of the criminal conduct under 3B1.1 (a) of the USSG.
In addition to the crime charged, the parties have agreed to a two-point enhancement under the guidelines for obstruction of justice, pursuant to be charged under Section 3C1.1. The government would prove that Cordisco became aware that narcotic drugs were being stolen from MedFast, and that Jade Gagianas was suspected of stealing the drugs and providing them to her boyfriend, a drug dealer named David Best. In October 2011, Cordisco arranged for a surveillance technician to focus a camera in her area in an attempt to catch Gagianas stealing.
A day after the camera was moved, Cordisco reviewed the recording and did not see anything suspicious, but noted that Gagianas was the one who unpacked a shipment of drugs. Between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. that day, Cordisco conducted an inventory and realized there was a shortage of Opana ER 40 mg. Cordisco took Gagianas to a back room and questioned her about the theft. She eventually admitted to this theft as well as additional thefts that had taken place in the past. She told Cordisco that she gave the Opana prescription to her boyfriend, David Best.
Cordisco told Gagianas that he wanted the drugs back and told her to call Best to ask him to return them. Gagianas made the call, but Best would not bring them back for fear of getting arrested. Cordisco told Best he would contact the police if Best did not agree to return the stolen Opana. After about two hours, Best showed up at the pharmacy but did not have the drugs in his possession. Best told Gagianas where the drugs were.
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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