Guilty pleas expected in federal misbranded drugs cases

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Federal prosecutors say two Southern California men are expected to plead guilty to the illegal import and sale of $11 million worth of pharmaceutical-grade erectile dysfunction drugs that were falsely marketed as herbal remedies for men.

The U.S. Department of Justice said Thursday that Jin Su Park will admit to felony counts including importing contraband. The two companies he ran will plead guilty to felonies including introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce.

Park’s friend and former colleague, John Seil Lee, and Lee’s two companies will also plead guilty to multiple counts.

Prosecutors say Lee illegally imported Tadalafil — known commercially as Cialis — from China and sold it to distributors in the U.S.

In a related case, Oregon-based Lancaster Distributors and one of its employees, Matthew Burroughs, each agreed to plead guilty to one misdemeanor count of conspiracy.