Dothan Pharmacist Sentenced To 87 Months In Prison Following Drug Distribution Conviction

            MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA – On April 27, 2021, Richard Allen Strickland, a 55-year-old resident of Hartford, Alabama, was sentenced to 87 months in prison for illegal drug distribution, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Stewart. In addition to his prison sentence, Strickland was ordered to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

            According to court records, Strickland, a licensed pharmacist, owned and operated Allen’s Pharmacy in Dothan, Alabama. In November of 2019, the Dothan Police Department Narcotics Division received an anonymous tip regarding someone selling prescription medications without a prescription to individuals from the pharmacy. Further investigation by Dothan PD and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) indicated that Strickland was selling Schedule II controlled substances, including oxycodone and hydrocodone, without a prescription. On July 14, 2020, Strickland was indicted by a federal grand jury for the illegal distribution of a controlled substance. Strickland pleaded to the charge on January 21, 2021. As part of his plea agreement, Strickland specifically admitted that on July 3, 2020, he sold 14 hydrocodone pills to an individual without a prescription in exchange for cash.

            “Diverting legitimate drugs for illegal purposes feeds the addiction cycle that is gripping our nation and places lives in danger,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Stewart. “Medical professionals need to understand that they are not exempt from criminal laws that prohibit the illegal distribution of controlled substances. My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute drug dealers, no matter where they may operate or what title they may have.”

            This case was investigated by the Dothan Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alice Shih LaCour and Jonathan S. Ross prosecuted the case.