Ryan Vermillion, the former head athletic trainer for the Washington Commanders, agreed to deferred prosecution and the U.S. Attorney's statement of facts.
Vermillion is accused of obtaining possession of oxycodone by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception, and subterfuge.
The judge asked Vermillion if he had reviewed the deferred prosecution agreement and if he was in agreement.
Vermillion, dressed in a dark sports jacket, a blue checkered shirt with a tie and gray slacks, answered affirmatively to both questions
According to the statement of facts presented to the court on Friday, Vermillion only distributed medication to injured players in connection to football-related injuries and did not receive any financial kickbacks for his actions.
Prosecutors said that the Commanders have two physicians who can prescribe and distribute controlled substances. Vermillion did not have a license to practice medicine or distribute controlled substances.
Vermillion had custody of one of the Commanders physicians' prescription pads, which bore the name of each Commanders physician and their individual Drug Enforcement Administration number, according to the prosecutors.
According to the prosecutors, Vermillion stored prescription drugs in a soft black bag that was transported across state lines to both home and away games during the 2020- 2021. He would put the drugs in small, white envelopes and give them to the players.
Drug Enforcement Administration agents seized the black travel bag with its loose prescription drugs, as well as a variety of different prescription drugs when they executed their search warrant. The player's name was on a seized bottle of medication, but he didn't recall being prescribed it.
Vermillion is accused of giving left-over pills to players even if the prescription had been written for someone else. Vermillion requested and received written prescriptions from the team physicians to cover for the fact that he had provided substances to players without a legitimate prescription.
At home and away games, Vermillion distributed drugs to at least six different players.
Vermillion agreed to pay a criminal fine and undergo periodic drug testing in exchange for his guilty plea. He can't leave North Carolina without the court's permission and he can't possess firearms or drugs.
Vermillion agreed to not participate in activities sponsored by professional athletic trainers for the duration of the agreement. He didn't want to be an athletic trainer for any sports team.
Criminal charges will be dismissed if Vermillion complies with the terms of the agreement over the next year. The National Football League has suspended him.
Federal law prohibits Vermillion from giving out prescription drugs as a trainer. They can't be distributed by a physician where they aren't authorized to practice.
Barry Coburn and the U.S. Attorney did not speak.
Vermillion and Coburn walked out of the courtroom together. A lawyer was in the courtroom for the proceeding.
Vermillion can apply for reinstatement after a year, according to a joint statement by the league and players association.
The Commanders will be investigated by the league and the NFLPA to determine if they complied with the prescription drug monitoring program. The commanders have pledged their full support. The Commanders' medical and training staff will be required to attend additional training by the National Football League.
After a search warrant was executed on Vermillion's home and the team's headquarters, the Commanders placed Vermillion on administrative leave. After Ron Rivera was hired as the head coach of the Washington Wizards, Vermillion became the athletic trainer for the team.
Vermillion was fired in April by the Commanders.
Rivera said in a statement that the situation was unfortunate and that it was necessary to move forward in a different direction.
The U.S. government confirmed from the beginning that it viewed the organization as a witness and not a target of the investigation. We cooperated with federal investigators and will continue to do so in the future. The health and safety of our players is of paramount importance to us, and our doctors and staff have done a great job. We are focused on the upcoming season.
As part of an investigation into drug distribution without prescriptions, the Drug Enforcement Administration randomly checked the medical staffs of the National Football League at airports after games. The search was done by the transportation security administration.
The visiting teams' medical staffs were asked for documentation for controlled substances they possessed. They wanted to know if doctors could practice medicine in the state.
There was a lawsuit on behalf of ex- NFL players. According to the AP, more than 1,200 people were involved in the case.
"If the allegations against Vermillion are true, it's very disappointing as our players have fought to eliminate these practices in the NFL," said Steven Silverman, one of the attorneys representing the players.
According to a lawsuit filed in 2016 by retired football players, the Drug Enforcement Agency began investigating doctors and trainers in the league after a San Diego player was found with 100 Vicodin pills in his possession.
The head athletic trainer for the Carolinas in 2010 was Vermillion, who was also the team's doctor. According to court documents, Dr.Connor was at the center of communications between the DEA and the NFL, including informational meetings that took place in 2010 in Washington, D.C., and at the 2011.
Trainers are not allowed to distribute controlled substances according to the class-action lawsuit. The reforms on how teams can prescribe and distribute drugs to their players were instituted by the NFLPS.
Additional court exhibits from the class-action lawsuit show that Vermillion sent and received emails from other trainers while the NFLPS was working with the Drug Enforcement Administration. No charges or indictments were ever brought from that investigation, with the Drug Enforcement Agency stating in 2012 that the team doctor had entered into compliance for record-keeping drugs regulated by theCSA.
Multiple examples of team doctors and trainers allegedly violating the CSA over the last 20 years were presented in the class action lawsuit. The lawyers for the league denied the allegations.
The CSA is alleged to have been violated by dozens of trainers and team doctors in the 2016 class action suit. As part of the suit's allegations against the Detroit Lions, Eric King claimed he received drugs like Toradol, Oxycontin, Percocet andVicodin from team doctors and trainers.
The case was dismissed because the players didn't file their case within the required time. The class-action suit against the National Football League has been going through the federal court system for more than two years.
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