Armstrong, 59, was a skip on the Canadian Paralympic curling team, leading them to a gold medal at the Vancouver 2010 Paralympics.

The former dentist from Richmond in British Columbia pleaded guilty on October 21 last year but sentencing was now delayed until now.

According to court records from the Western Washington US District Attorney's Office, on April 9, 2010, Customs and Border Protection agents in Los Angeles intercepted a package sent from Hyyuan in China containing 2,544 counterfeit Viagra pills and 260 counterfeit Cialis pills.

The package was addressed to Carleen Armstrong, his late wife who passed away in September 2009, at a mailbox in Blaine, Washington used by both him and his son, Gregory Armstrong, 28, also of Richmond.

US District Judge Ricardo Martinez sentenced Gregory Armstrong to a year plus a day in prison.

According to the operators of the Mail Boxes International store, the Armstrongs received packages on a weekly basis from China and India - countries where counterfeit drugs are routinely manufactured.

On April 15, the elder Armstrong was arrested outside the mailbox store after picking up the package and examining its contents in the store.

As part of his plea, Armstrong admitted he distributed the drugs in Canada to people who did not have a prescription for them.

According to a written statement given by Armstrong's arresting officer, Jim Burkhardt of the US Food and Drug Administration, Armstrong informed him at the time of his arrest that his son, Gregory, purchased the drugs and sold them at nightclubs in and around Vancouver.

The Armstrongs are also subject to an April 12 restitution hearing at which they are likely to be ordered to pay damages to Viagra-maker Pfizer and Cialis-maker Eli Lilly.

Armstrong was formerly one of Canada's top able-bodied curlers, having started the sport when he was just eight.

His Highest moment in curling was reaching the 1987 Brier final, losing on the last rock to Ontario's Russ Howard.

Severe injuries to his knees and spine ended his regular playing career and in 2007 he was invited to work with the Team Canada Paralympic squad, sharing his experience.

He began playing from a wheelchair and skipped British Columbia to a National title in 2008.

He was subsequently cleared to play in international competition by the World Curling Federation's eligibility assessor and led them to victory last year.


Related stories
May 2010: Canadian Paralympic champion denies drug trafficking charge
April 2010: Gold medal winning Canadian curler arrested over fake viagra pills