Corbin pharmacist says no wrongdoing at her business

A Knox County pharmacist visited by federal Drug Enforcement Agency officials last month says there was no connection between her business and a Barbourville pharmacist who was arrested during a separate DEA visit on the same day.

On Wednesday, June 24, 2020 DEA officials visited three pharmacies in Knox and Laurel counties, which resulted in Barbourville pharmacist and current Barbourville City Councilman Calvin Manis being arrested on charges of unlawfully distributing controlled substances. Manis’ Parkway Pharmacy wasn’t the only pharmacy visited by DEA that day. Stephanie’s Down Home Pharmacy, located in Corbin off of Master Street, was also paid a visit.

“The DEA visit to my pharmacy was a routine audit,” owner and pharmacist Stephanie Collins told The Mountain Advocate.

An article published on mountainadvocate.com and other local news sites the day of the DEA visit in June stated, “According to the 2016 agreed order, between Jan. 4 and Feb. 12 a pharmacist worked at Stephanie’s without being appropriately licensed with the Board.” According to Collins, the statement inaccurately described the nature of the violation.

“There was never a pharmacist that was not licensed that has worked at my pharmacy. It was a late filing fee due to the fact of the registration for a recently hired technician being turned in by the secretary late,” Collins stated.

Documentation from the Kentucky Board of Pharmacy recorded the only violation on record for Collins’ pharmacy stems from the fine levied against her business in 2016. The $100 was indeed for an employee who worked between January 4 and February 12, 2016 “without being appropriately registered with the Board.” The pharmacy was ordered to pay the fine by July 22, 2016. According to a copy of the Agreed Order from the Kentucky Board of Pharmacy, the fine was paid.

In addressing the circumstances surrounding Manis’ arrest and subsequent charges, Collins also went on to clarify that her pharmacy “is not now nor has ever been affiliated with that business,” speaking of Parkway Pharmacy in Barbourville.

A statement from Kevin McWilliams, Public Information Officer for the Louisville Field Division of the DEA stated in part, “Our presence does not necessarily indicate wrongdoing on the part of a business or individual.”