DENVER (AP) — A Colorado pharmacist who pleaded guilty to illegally selling prescription painkillers has been sentenced to six months in prison and must pay $55,000 toward state programs helping crime victims and addicts.
Prosecutors say the financial penalty is the first of its kind in Colorado's federal court district and among the first nationally intended to help people with substance addictions.
According to court documents, Mary Aronson sold oxycodone and amphetamine pills to a confidential informant without a prescription at least three times in 2017 and 2018 as investigators recorded their conversation. She owned and operated St. Vrain Pharmacy in Lyons.
During the investigation, Aronson gave the confidential informant four blank prescription pages and showed her how to fill out a forged prescription. Aronson told the informant "don't worry, the doctor is dead and will never find out."
Aronson pleaded guilty in March to illegal distribution of narcotics and was sentenced Tuesday.
Online records show Colorado regulators canceled Aronson's pharmacist license in January.
