Former Pharmacy Owner Pleads Guilty to Oxy Distribution

The former proprietor of a Texas Road Pharmacy in Manalapan pleaded guilty to illegally distributing oxycodone to people who didn't have a legitimate need for the drug, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced on Thursday.

Pharmacist Randy Binder, 60, of Matawan, pleaded guilty to an information charging him with conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, Fishman said. He admitted he distributed the drug “beyond the bounds of medical practice” between January 2009 and June 2012, Fishman said.

Oxycodone is a Schedule II controlled substance, meaning it has a high potential for abuse. It is the active ingredient in OxyContin, Roxicodone and Percocet.

According to Fishman, Binder would meet fellow conspirators in Texas Road Pharmacy's parking lot, or would leave pills in the parking lot for his fellow conspirators to pick up. He accepted prescriptions he knew were invalid, Fishman said.

Demand for prescription pain medication that uses oxycodone as its active ingredient has grown to what Fishman called “epidemic proportions” in America, and drug dealers profit from selling these medications on the street.

Those abusing the drug crush and snort, or dissolve and inject the pills. The abuse can lead to addiction, Fishman said.

Binder faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine when he is sentenced on Oct. 24.

Fishman credited special agents of the DEA, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Carl J. Kotowski; the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford; and IRS–Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Shantelle P. Kitchen for the investigation leading to Binder's guilty plea.