GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Michigan, Western), published as received.

GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Brandon Piper, age 35, of Gobles, Michigan was sentenced to 21 months in prison for conspiracy to introduce misbranded drugs into the market with the intent to defraud and mislead both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and consumers. During sentencing, U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker stated that his sentence was designed to send a message to Piper and to the public about the consequences of ignoring the FDA and the law.

According to sentencing filings, Piper helped perpetrate an extensive scheme to import unapproved, misbranded prescription drugs, including peptides, which are popular weight loss drugs, into the United States from China for distribution to customers. The customers purchased the illicit drugs first on a Canadian website and later on Piper’s own site – www.MilestonePurity.com. Both websites claimed that the drugs were “for research purposes only” even though Piper and his co-conspirators knew that customers would be using them personally. Many of the drugs also purported to be a “Product of the USA” even though conspirators purchased them from China.

Examples of the drugs sold on the websites included semaglutide and tirzepatide. Both drugs require the purchaser to have a prescription from a licensed practitioner before they can be dispensed. However, the drugs were sold without obtaining prescriptions from customers and were shipped to customers without adequate directions for use.

FDA-approved semaglutide products bear a boxed warning, commonly referred to as a “black box warning,” which is the strongest warning FDA requires.  This warning indicates that the drug carries a significant risk of serious or even life-threatening adverse effects. The boxed warning addresses the risk of thyroid C-cell tumors. FDA-approved tirzepatide also bears a boxed warning addressing the risk of thyroid C-Cell tumors. Piper’s drugs omitted these warnings.

“Brandon Piper’s business bypassed important drug safeguards that made him a danger to his customers,” said United States Attorney Timothy VerHey.  “By going around the prescription requirement, he made drugs available to his customers that are dangerous – and even deadly - when used improperly.  Also, the foreign drugs Piper was selling lacked any kind of quality control and could have contained anything.  Put those two factors together and you have a recipe for disaster.  Because of that, my office will always treat people like Piper just like street level drug dealers.”

“The FDA is committed to disrupting and dismantling the illegal sales of drugs online,” said Special Agent in Charge Ronne Malham, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Chicago Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who exploit the internet for profits with reckless disregard for the risk to public health and safety.”

The FDA Office of Criminal Investigations prepared the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Carowan is prosecuting it. One of Piper’s co-defendants, Mayze Nichols, is scheduled to be sentenced on related charges before United States Magistrate Judge Ray Kent on September 15, 2026.