Baltimore, Maryland – Kendra Westmoreland, age 54, of Randallstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to receiving and delivering an adulterated or misbranded device, in connection with her receipt and use of polydimethylsiloxane, which she misrepresented to customers as medical grade silicone.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Mark McCormack of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations’ Metro Washington Field Office; and Chief Terrence B. Sheridan of the Baltimore County Police Department.
According to her plea agreement, from October 2000 through October 4, 2015, Westmoreland received polydimethylsiloxane, a silicon-based organic polymer that she injected directly into the bodies of victim customers for money or some other payment. Westmoreland intentionally defrauded and misled individuals by representing polydimethylsiloxane as “medical grade” silicone and approved for injecting directly into the human body. Westmoreland also indicated that she was medically licensed to perform the procedure. In fact, Westmoreland was never a licensed medical practitioner and silicone is not approved by the FDA for this purpose.
As a result of her representations, victim customers came to her residence, or to hotel rooms, to have polydimethylsiloxane injected directly into their buttocks and other places on their bodies, for larger and fuller buttocks or to shape other areas of their bodies. Westmoreland also traveled to other locations for the same purpose. Westmoreland typically charged customers $250 to $500 per session, and estimated that she had injected thousands of customers, who she claimed found her through word of mouth, or through her business website. On October 4, 2015, a search warrant was executed at Westmoreland’s residence. A room of her home was set up to resemble an operating room, including medical equipment and collages of photographs of individuals exposing their buttocks, representing a sampling of those who Westmoreland had injected with silicone. A forensic search of Westmoreland’s cellular phone revealed 126 individuals listed in her contacts as clients. A financial audit of Westmoreland’s finances for the period from December 2011 to October 2015 revealed cash deposits of $227,994.01, and additional deposits of $48,801.06, for a total of $276,795.07. The audit indicated no tax payments and no tax returns filed during that period.
Westmoreland admitted that she stored the polydimethylsiloxone in a plastic container that was not properly labeled for medical use.When injected into humans, liquid silicone is a medical device subject to the regulation of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Polydimethylsiloxane is not approved, exclusively or as a component, for body-contouring. Polydimethylsiloxane is used in the manufacture of shampoos (to make hair shiny and slippery), food (as an antifoaming agent), caulking, lubricants, kinetic sand, and heat-resistant tiles.
Westmoreland faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has scheduled sentencing for April 17, 2017, at 10:00 a.m.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended FDA Office of Criminal Investigations and Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Judson T. Mihok, who is prosecuting the case.