Gate City Pharmacist Sentenced to 24 Months for Tampering with Oxycodone and Hydromorphone

ABINGDON, Va. — Dillon West Breeding, a 34-year-old pharmacist from Gate City, Virginia, has been sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for tampering with prescription medications, including oxycodone and hydromorphone. Breeding pleaded guilty in June 2024 to one count of tampering with consumer products.

According to court documents, Breeding substituted oxycodone tablets with prednisone, a steroid used for inflammation, and replaced hydromorphone tablets with leflunomide, a medication used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Additionally, Breeding would short patients on their prescriptions, keeping the additional pills for personal use. These actions placed patients at risk of receiving ineffective substitutes and potentially harmful substances, endangering their health and safety.

"Ensuring the integrity of our prescription drugs is vital to maintaining the public’s confidence in our healthcare system," said United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh. "When patients go to the pharmacy, they trust the medicines they receive are legitimate, and prosecutions like this one go a long way towards ensuring that trust."

George Scavdis, Special Agent in Charge of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, echoed these concerns, stating, "When pharmacists betray their customers’ trust by tampering with narcotic medications, they not only risk causing needless suffering but also put lives at risk by introducing potentially harmful substances into the drug supply chain."

The investigation was conducted by the Food and Drug Administration - Office of Inspector General, the Virginia Department of Health Professions, the Gate City Police Department, and the Virginia State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Macon prosecuted the case.

Breeding's actions represent a severe breach of trust and highlight the critical importance of maintaining the integrity of the drug supply chain.

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