Palmer Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Import Prescription Drugs from Pakistan

BOSTON – A Palmer man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Springfield to his role in a conspiracy to import prescription drugs from Pakistan.

Harry Aliengena, 64, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to import controlled substances, two counts of felony introduction of misbranded drugs with intent to defraud or mislead, and one count of misdemeanor introduction of misbranded drugs. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Feb. 14, 2018.

Between July 2011 and June 2012, Aliengena, acting as a middle man between a Pakistani drug company and customers based in the United States, conspired to import prescription drugs from Pakistan into the United States and, on three occasions in February and April 2012, he distributed misbranded drugs to U.S. customers. Aliengena communicated regularly with the Pakistani company and ordered various drugs, including Ritalin, Percocet, Hydrocodone, Adderall, and Restoril - all of which are designated controlled substances in the United States - and then reshipped a portion of these drugs to customers in the United States on behalf of the Pakistani company in return for payments and discounts on drugs for his personal use.

The charge of conspiracy to import controlled substances provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $1 million.  The charge of introduction of misbranded drugs with intent to defraud or mislead provides for a sentence of no greater than three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of introduction of misbranded drugs provides for a sentence of no greater than one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $1,000. Sentences are imposed based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.   

Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Jeffrey Ebersole, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office; and Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Deepika Bains Shukla of Weinreb’s Springfield Office is prosecuting the case.