Feds: Beaver County man admits to trying to sell 5,700 fake Viagra, Cialis pills

A Beaver County man admitted to plotting to sell more than 5,700 fake Viagra and Cialis pills in Western Pennsylvania, officials said.

Rahnon Carter, 39, pleaded guilty at the federal courthouse in Pittsburgh to one count of holding a counterfeit drug for distribution, U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady said.

The charge stemmed from the thousands of pills that investigators found in Carter’s possession nearly three years ago. Carter attempted to pass them off as Viagra and Cialis, popular prescription brands known for treating erectile dysfunction.

Specifically, Carter admitted to holding 967 counterfeit Viagra pills and 120 counterfeit Cialis pills on Dec. 19, 2016; 39 counterfeit Viagra pills and 120 counterfeit Cialis pills on Dec. 15, 2016 and more than 4,500 counterfeit Viagra pills on Nov. 23, 2016, Brady said.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security assisted in the investigation that led to Cater’s guilty plea.

If convicted, Carter faces a maximum possible sentence of not more than one year in prison and a fine up to $1,000.

U.S. District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose scheduled Carter’s sentencing for Jan. 9.