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Peters Township pharmacist pleads guilty to federal charges

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A Peters Township pharmacist pleaded guilty Friday to federal charges he fraudulently obtained and sold narcotic painkillers.

Timothy W. Forester, 46, of Venetia, pleaded guilty in federal court in Pittsburgh to obtaining controlled substances of fraud, misbranding of drugs and health care fraud conspiracy after he was indicted in June 2019.

Forester, who owns Prescription Center Plus pharmacies in McMurray, Eighty Four and South Park, along with Century Square Pharmacy in West Mifflin, fraudulently obtained and sold oxycodone and hydrocodone from November 2018 through February 2019, federal prosecutors said.

Investigators said Forester admitted he did not place the controlled substances into the inventories of the four pharmacies, nor did he maintain records to show the controlled substances were dispensed. Forester also relabeled generic drugs as brand medicine and sold them at the more expensive rate, investigators said. Additionally, Forester filled prescriptions using generic drugs while billing Medicare and Medicaid at the higher brand drug price, which investigators said cost the federal programs about $680,000.

“We will continue to pursue medical professionals who engage in fraud schemes to enrich themselves at the expense of their patients,” Acting U.S. Attorney Kaufman said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Cessar prosecuted the case while the Western Pennsylvania Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit investigated.

Forester will be sentenced Feb. 8 by Senior U.S. District Judge David Cercone, and he faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

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