Texas Board of Pharmacy adopts sanctions in two disciplinary cases, including $1,000 penalty for Odessa Regional PIC

The Texas State Board of Pharmacy on Aug. 5 approved disciplinary orders in two contested cases: a 180-day suspension followed by five years of probation for pharmacy technician Sarah Ann Reeves, and a $1,000 administrative penalty against pharmacist William Frimpong, the pharmacist-in-charge at Odessa Regional Medical Center.

Board staff introduced both proposals for decision. John, a staff member, summarized the Reeves matter and said a May 29, 2025, proposal for decision from an administrative law judge at the State Office of Administrative Hearings found by a preponderance of the evidence that Reeves received deferred adjudication for the second-degree felony of manslaughter on June 6, 2024. "In the proposal for decision, the ALJ concluded that under board rule 281.64, a suspension of a hundred and 80 days followed by a 5 year probation is an appropriate sanction," John said. Board members voted to accept the staff-prepared order imposing that sanction.

The board separately considered a contested case involving pharmacist William Frimpong, license number 56993, who was acting as the pharmacist-in-charge at Odessa Regional when a pharmacy technician worked with an expired registration. The ALJ’s proposal for decision concluded the board could assess a $1,000 administrative penalty but recommended the board not assess the penalty. Board staff urged the board to assess the $1,000 penalty under board rule 281.65, saying the board must apply its schedule for administrative penalties consistently.

Derek Davis, attorney with Cooper and Scully, who represented Frimpong, disputed staff’s characterization and asked the board to give weight to mitigating factors found by the ALJ. "We are not asking the board members in any way to ignore the violation," Davis told the board, and said the hearing record included multiple mitigating factors, including that the expired registration was discovered soon after Frimpong became PIC and that the hospital’s prior policy routed renewal notices to a predecessor. William Frimpong, pharmacy director at Odessa Regional Medical Center, said the institution had changed its HR notification process and implemented quality-assurance reporting to reduce future risk.

Board members questioned Frimpong and his counsel about staffing, timeline and corrective steps. Frimpong said he had five full-time pharmacists and one currently authorized preceptor at the hospital, and that he had been PIC for 43 days before the technician’s registration lapsed. He said the technician was removed from the schedule and later separated from employment after additional concerns.

Board legal staff explained that board rule 283.6 limits the board’s ability to consider preceptor-waiver requests as part of the disciplinary proceeding; a pharmacist subject to an order may petition the board afterward for permission to serve as a preceptor. "Once a pharmacist has become subject to a disciplinary order, they can petition the board in writing for approval to act as a pharmacist preceptor," Megan, a staff member, said.

After an executive session to consult with counsel, the board voted to accept the informal-conference outcome staff recommended and to impose the $1,000 administrative penalty. A board member recorded one recorded opposition to that motion; the board chair confirmed that the administrative penalty had been awarded and that Frimpong may apply for a preceptor waiver after the order is entered.

Votes at a glance - Sarah Ann Reeves (pharmacy technician, registration 312237): Board order imposing a 180-day suspension followed by five years of probation; motion made by Donnie (board member), seconded by Ian (board member); outcome: approved. - William Frimpong (pharmacist, license 56993): Board order assessing a $1,000 administrative penalty under board rule 281.65; motion to accept staff/informal-conference recommendation was approved with one opposition; mover and seconder not specified on the record excerpts provided.

Why it matters The decisions illustrate the board’s application of its disciplinary rules and penalty schedule when an ALJ’s recommendation differs from staff’s position. The Frimpong discussion also highlighted procedural limits on resolving related preceptor-waiver concerns within a disciplinary proceeding and the practical effect discipline can have on pharmacy preceptor availability in rural regions.

Board action and next steps Both orders will be entered as board orders. Staff noted that, once disciplinary orders are entered, affected pharmacists may file petitions under board rule 283.6 seeking approval to serve as preceptors despite the disciplinary history. Frimpong’s counsel signaled his intention to pursue available avenues, and Frimpong described corrective measures Odessa Regional has implemented to prevent future lapsed registrations.

The board concluded its agenda after recognizing a long-serving technician member and adjourning the meeting.