21 USC 843(a)(3) makes it a crime to acquire or obtain possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception, or subterfuge. Federal law is most often used to punish: doctors and pharmacists who falsify large numbers of prescription drug records, and people who traffic in large quantities of drugs obtained by forged prescriptions. Violation of 21 USC 843 is a federal felony. The penalty for a first offense is up to four years in federal prison. The penalty for a subsequent offense is: up to eight years in federal prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.