Pharmaceutical exec gets federal prison time

FORT MYERS — Former Fort Myers dietary supplement company president Derek Vest was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for introducing misbranded food into interstate commerce, according to a statement from acting U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow.

U.S. District Judge Sheri Chappell sentenced Vest, 52. According to the press release, the court also entered a $2.5 million money judgment — the proceeds obtained as a result of the offense. Vest pleaded guilty March 29.

From at least April 2013 to November 2014, Vest was president of Gentech Pharmaceutical. Gentech was a Fort Myers dietary supplement sales, marketing and distribution facility. There, Vest oversaw purported dietary supplements such as AddTabz, PhenTabz and PhenTabz-Teen. The supplements were sold online, in stores and at kiosks. AddTabz were marketed as mental focus and performance tablets. PhenTabz and PhenTabz-Teen were marketed as weight loss tablets.