Oregon woman sentenced for wire fraud and illegal animal drug distribution

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Samantha Miller, 55, from Columbia County, Oregon, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison, 3 years of supervised release, and payment of restitution on January 16, 2205, for her role in illegally dispensing prescription animal drugs without a lawful order of a veterinarian and defrauding customers seeking to adopt pets. The amount of the restitution has not yet been decided.

“Today’s sentence should make it clear to others engaged in unconscionable conduct that it will not be tolerated and they will be held responsible for their crimes,” Hannah Horsley, chief of the economic crimes unit for the District of Oregon, said in an organizational release.¹

Between November 2019 and January 2021, Miller conspired with others, through their Woofin Palooza animal rescue business, to obtain animals with behavioral and health problems from shelters outside Oregon at no cost to offer for adoption to paying customers in Portland, Oregon. Once in Portland, Miller did not provide the necessary care the animals needed through a licensed veterinarian, instead she either ignored them or tried to administer prescription animal drugs herself without the supervision of a veterinarian.¹

According to the release, Miller used the alias "Mandy Myers" and advertised animals for adoption on the Woofin Palooza and Petfinder websites with misleading or false statements about the known behavioral and medical histories of the animals.¹ Once the pets were adopted, Miler then misrepresented the extent of the issues of the pets in contracts and communication with each of the new owners. Miller also dispensed to victims prescription animal drugs that she repacked with false or misleading labels, and without the order of licensed veterinarian.

Victims were unknowingly adopting pets that were unhealthy and aggressive, forcing pet owners to seek training and veterinarian care, and in some cases euthanasia. These pet owners had incurred significant expenses in some cases as well.

“The [Food and Drug Administration] regulates animal drugs as part of its mission to protect the public health, which includes ensuring that prescription animal drugs are lawfully obtained, distributed, and dispensed,” Special Agent in Charge Robert Iwanicki, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Los Angeles Field Office, said. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who criminally attempt to evade the law.”

A federal grand jury in Portland returned a 4-count superseding indictment on February 7, 2024, charging Miller with conspiring to commit wire fraud, conspiring to misbrand drugs, and misbranding animal drugs by dispensing them without a lawful order of a veterinarian, and by repackaging and relabeling the medications. Miller pleaded guilty on October 24, 2024, to conspiring to commit wire fraud and misbranding drugs by dispensing prescription animal drugs without a lawful order of a veterinarian.¹

The FDA investigated this case with the assistance of the FBI, and the case was prosecuted by Robert S. Trisotto and Meredith D.M. Bateman, assistant US attorneys for the District of Oregon.

Reference

Columbia County Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Wire Fraud Conspiracy and Illegally Dispensing Animal Drugs. News release. US Attorney's Office, District of Oregon. January 17, 2025. Accessed January 21, 2025. https://www.justice.gov/usao-or/pr/columbia-county-woman-sentenced-federal-prison-role-wire-fraud-conspiracy-and-illegally?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery