Champagne, Illinois, Resident Guilty Of Producing And Selling Over 80,000 Homemade Tramadol Capsules To Customers Without Verifying Prescriptions

OWENSBORO, Ky. – A Champaign, Illinois, resident pleaded guilty in United States District Court today, before Chief Judge Joseph H. McKinley, to four felony charges including distributing Tramadol, a Schedule IV controlled substance, introduction of misbranded drugs, and wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Russell M. Coleman.

According to the plea agreement, Skyler Dean Prahl, 32, imported Tramadol powder from overseas and used an encapsulating machine to create Tramadol capsules.  Tramadol is a synthetic opioid drug. For several years Prahl operated an online business marketing and selling Tramadol capsules and other substances to customers throughout the United States.  Prahl sold well over 80,000 units of Tramadol to customers without inquiring or verifying that his customers had a valid prescription.

Prahl admitted that on August 31, 2015, he knowingly and intentionally possessed with the intent to distribute, and distributed Tramadol to an undercover agent.

He further admitted that on August 31, 2015, with the intent to mislead and defraud, he introduced a misbranded drug, Tramadol, into interstate commerce by shipping Tramadol from Champaign, Illinois, to Owensboro, Kentucky.  The Tramadol was misbranded because its label failed to state the name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer, and distributor., and because it failed to bear adequate directions for use.

Lastly, Prahl admitted that between January 28, 2016, and March 5, 2016, he devised a wire fraud scheme. Specifically, Prahl used email to promise to deliver at least 3,000 Tramadol capsules to “Michael Riley” in return for $950, but failed to deliver the Tramadol capsules even after receiving the funds.

If convicted at trial, Prahl could have been sentenced to no more than 31 years in prison, fined, and order to serve a period of supervised release. Prahl remains free on bond until sentencing on March 12, 2018, in Owensboro, by Chief Judge McKinley.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David R. Weiser and is being investigated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration - Office of Criminal Investigation (Owensboro, Kentucky, domicile) with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service (Evansville, Indiana, domicile) and DEA Diversion (Springfield, Illinois, Resident Office), and the Kentucky State Police, DESI-East.