PHILADELPHIA, PA — Daniel Pinos, a 30-year-old Ecuadorian national, was sentenced on Wednesday, February 19, to one year of non-reporting probation and a $100 special assessment for his role in a conspiracy to introduce misbranded drugs into interstate commerce. The sentencing was handed down by United States District Court Judge John M. Gallagher, according to Acting United States Attorney Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr.
Pinos, a practicing dentist in Ecuador, pleaded guilty last week to a single count of conspiracy related to the distribution of misbranded drugs. From 2022 onward, Pinos made multiple trips to the United States, where he practiced dentistry and dispensed prescription drugs in exchange for payment, despite being unlicensed to provide such services in the country. Some of the drugs he distributed were transported from Ecuador to the U.S.
Authorities first encountered Pinos on September 10, 2024, during an investigation that led to the seizure of misbranded drugs, as well as medical and dental equipment. Acting U.S. Attorney Thayer emphasized the importance of strict healthcare and medication regulations in the United States, stating, “Pinos understood that he wasn’t licensed to practice dentistry or provide prescription drugs here, but did so, nonetheless. This office and the FBI will continue to investigate such medical malfeasance and hold those who commit it accountable.”
FBI Philadelphia’s Special Agent in Charge, Wayne A. Jacobs, reiterated the agency’s commitment to protecting public safety in healthcare. “We applaud the hard work of the Allentown Resident Agency and our partners in this case and in their efforts to keep our communities safe,” Jacobs remarked.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Philadelphia’s Allentown Resident Agency, with the prosecution handled by Assistant United States Attorney John J. Boscia.
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