United States Drug Enforcement Administration

Washington, D.C., - Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Washington Division, announced the issuance of an Immediate Suspension Order (ISO) at Northgate Pharmacy, located at 3973 Saint Charles Parkway, Waldorf, Maryland, today.

This morning, members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Division’s Tactical Diversion Squad, along with Charles County Sheriff’s Office and Prince George’s County Police Department served an ISO at Northgate Pharmacy due to the pharmacy’s actions constituting “an imminent danger to the public health and safety” in the community.  An ISO is served pursuant to Sec 303 and 304 of the Controlled Substances Act, Title 21 U.S.C. Section 823 and 824 when a DEA-registered business or “registrant” constitutes an imminent danger to the public safety and suspends a registrant’s ability to handle or distribute a controlled substance, pending judicial proceeding.

 “The diversion of pharmaceutical controlled substances is of great concern for the DEA and taking criminals like this, who use their position in the community to take such advantage of vulnerable people, is why we do what we do,” said SAC Forget. “We trust our pharmacists are taking care of us -- providing proper medications to legitimate patients. However, when bad actors choose to take advantage of that position, people suffer, drug dealers prosper, and our community’s safety is compromised. Today’s action is a great example of how we and our partners work, every day, to track down and hold accountable those individuals contributing to criminal activity in our neighborhoods and keep you and your family safe.”

“Charles County Sherriff’s detectives, members of the DEA, Charles County State’s Attorney’s Office and our local and federal law enforcement partners worked collaboratively on this case. Our mission, always, is to help eradicate the illegal distribution of drugs that have negatively impacted the lives of many families,” said Sheriff Troy Berry.

Northgate Pharmacy is owned and operated by Vincent Ippolito, as Northgate’s pharmacist-in-charge. According to arrest documents in September 2021, Ippolito was found to be illegally distributing pharmaceuticals without a legitimate medical purpose and allowing an employee, Denise Shifflett, to take pharmaceuticals from the pharmacy and illegally distribute them on the street. Furthermore, Ippolito was found to be exploiting vulnerable and addicted females to whom he would illegally disperse medications in exchange for sexual favors.

During the investigation, Ippolito repeatedly diverted controlled substances, and further indicated willingness to continue to do so. Northgate was also unable to account for tens of thousands of dosage units of highly addictive controlled substances, such as oxycodone, according to their dispensing records.

SAC Forget commended the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, Loudoun County Sherriff’s Office, Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Charles County States Attorney’s Office for their work in this investigation.

##