MEDFORD, Ore.–A Texas woman has been sentenced to one year of probation for her role in smuggling and distributing unapproved animal drugs into the United States, authorities announced today.
Nicole Randall, 37, of Cedar Park, Texas, pleaded guilty to introducing an adulterated drug into interstate commerce, a crime that earned her a one-year probationary sentence.
According to court documents, between February 2020 and May 2022, Randall used fake names to smuggle GS-441524, a drug that had not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for human or animal consumption, into the United States disguised as facial masks, pet shampoo, beauty products, and cosmetics.
Despite having no veterinary or prescriber licenses, Randall and others used the Facebook group FIP Warriors 5.0 to defraud and mislead customers by diagnosing their cats and kittens with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a viral disease affecting cats, and prescribing GS-441524 for the animals’ consumption.
In August 2021, an agent joined FIP Warriors 5.0 and submitted photographs of a cat. The healthy cat, recently examined by a licensed veterinarian, was misdiagnosed with FIP and prescribed GS-441524. Randall then instructed payment for the unapproved drugs using Paypal, Zelle, or CashApp without mentioning cat medicine, vials, pills, or brand names in the payment note.
In July 2022, agents executed a federal search warrant at Randall’s residence in Cedar Park, Texas and seized approximately 30 boxes of glass vials containing the adulterated drug. Investigators discovered that between July 2020 and June 2022, Randall distributed 58,460 liquid vials and 236,836 pills of GS-441524.
On June 4, 2024, Randall was charged by criminal information with introducing an adulterated drug into interstate commerce. Randall’s scheme was highly profitable. As part of the plea agreement, Randall agreed to forfeit four real properties, ten financial accounts, and a Tesla, worth roughly $4 million combined and traceable to her proceeds from smuggling and distributing the unapproved drugs.
This case was investigated by the FDA. It was prosecuted by John C. Brassell and Katherine C. de Villiers, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Defendant: Nicole Randall, 37, of Cedar Park, Texas
Criminal Charges: Introducing an adulterated drug into interstate commerce
City and State: Medford, Oregon
Exact Date: June 4, 2024
Sentence or Outcome: One year of probation
Dollar Amounts: $4 million
Related Federal Cases
- Mexican National, Opiate Trafficking, Oregon 2023 · Vermont
- Tyrone D. Trumbo Jr., Alleged Drug Trafficking, Kentucky 2023 · Idaho
- Derrick O’Brian Hamlett, Armed Drug Trafficking, North Carolina 2024 · New York
- Loren Michelle Toelle, Drug Trafficking, Idaho 2017 · Texas
- Lucas Russell Vanwoert, Animal Crush & Child Porn, Ohio 2024 · Texas
Key Facts
- State: Oregon
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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