Ex-Washington Commanders trainer Ryan Vermillion's illegal drug distribution charges could be dropped as part of agreement

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Former Washington Commanders head athletic trainer Ryan Vermillion, who has been under investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency for illegally distributing oxycodone to NFL players, agreed to deferred prosecution and the U.S. Attorney's office statement of facts Friday morning.

According to the government's criminal information filing, Vermillion is accused of unlawfully acquiring and obtaining possession of oxycodone «by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception, and subterfuge.»

Vermillion appeared in U.S. District Court Friday before Judge Claude M. Hilton, who asked the defendant if he had reviewed the deferred prosecution agreement and if he was in full agreement.

Vermillion, dressed in a dark sports jacket, a blue checkered shirt with a tie and gray slacks, answered affirmatively to both questions.

In its «Statement of Facts» presented to the court on Friday, federal prosecutors stated Vermillion only distributed medication to injured players in connection to football-related injuries and did not received any financial kickbacks for his actions.

The Commanders have two physicians who have the ability to prescribe, dispense and distribute controlled substances, prosecutors explained. Vermillion, however, is not licensed to practice medicine and was not a DEA registrant, meaning he was not authorized to prescribe, dispense or distribute controlled substances.

The prosecutors allege that Vermillion was involved in decisions about storing and dispensing player medication, and «had custody of one of the Commanders physicians' prescribing pads, which bore the name of each Commanders physician and their individual DEA registrant number.»

During the 2020-2021 NFL season, Vermillion stored oxycodone