Man Sentenced in Illegal Sale of Prescription Drugs

A party supplies store operator, convicted on a charge of illegally selling a prescription drug, was sentenced to 120 days in jail or 90 days on a Caltrans work crew, authorities said.

Gume Montano, 47, pleaded no contest Thursday in Los Angeles Municipal Court to selling improperly packaged and labeled cough medicine, said Mike Qualls, a spokesman for the Los Angeles city attorney.

The Panorama City man, who operates El Arco Iris Party Supplies on the 14000 block of Van Nuys Boulevard, was also placed on three years probation and ordered to forfeit drugs seized at the store, Qualls said.

Montano was arrested as part of a crackdown by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services Pharmaceutical Drug Task Force.

Last September, a state law went into effect enabling counties to crack down on vendors selling illegally imported drugs and to strengthen penalties. Since then the county formed a full-time task force, with members from health services and law enforcement agencies.

On March 3, an undercover county sheriff’s deputy on the task force bought $20 in cough pills from Montano, who is not a licensed pharmacist, said Deputy City Atty. Don Kass.

A week later, investigators confiscated 66 different types of dangerous or illegal prescription drugs at the party supplies store, he said.