New Braunfels man sentenced for selling misbranded drugs

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - A New Braunfels man was sentenced in federal court to five years in prison for selling non-controlled but dangerous substances through the mail.

42-year-old Evan Asher Field and co-defendant 31-year-old Michael Dominic Diaz purchased bulk quantities of various drugs, including synthetic opioids and benzodiazepines, and re-sold them through a website Field created in September 2019, according to court documents.

The drugs, most of which originated in China and were not regulated or approved for any use by the FDA, can potentially cause toxic and fatal overdoses if consumed by humans. The two defendants repackaged the drugs into consumer-size containers and shipped them to various locations throughout the United States.

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The initial website remained online until September 2021, when Diaz launched a second website offering a nearly identical service, says the US Attorney's Office.

Despite disclaimers on the website and product packaging stating "for research purposes only," and "not for human consumption," the two defendants were aware that customers were purchasing the substances for personal use and consuming the drugs. Multiple consumers suffered overdoses, including some which were fatal, says the US Attorney's Office.

In addition to imprisonment, Field was also ordered to pay a $250,000 fine. Diaz is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 21.