Wyoming pharmacy agrees $1M settlement in federal drug case

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) - A Wyoming pharmacy is expected to pay $1 million to settle allegations of federal drug law violations, authorities said.

Osco Pharmacy in Casper was investigated in connection with a case against a doctor convicted of illegally distributing prescription medication, The Casper Star-Tribune reported Tuesday.

The pharmacy and its employees were not named as part of the criminal prosecution of Shakeel Kahn, a statement by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Wyoming said.

Kahn was sentenced in August 2019 to 25 years in prison following his conviction on 25 felony counts.

The civil settlement prevents the government's allegations against the pharmacy from going to court. The agreement does not require an admission of wrongdoing by the pharmacy or a retraction by federal attorneys.

An audit of the pharmacy found 128 instances of patients filling prescriptions for unusually large amounts of narcotic drugs, using multiple pharmacies to fill prescriptions and third parties filling prescriptions for out-of-state patients, authorities said.

Investigators found additional problems with the pharmacy's records, authorities said.

A spokeswoman for the pharmacy chain could not immediately be reached for comment.