IFBB pro bodybuilder Guy Ducasse pleaded guilty to one count of distributing the anabolic steroidProviron (mesterolone). Ducasse testified that he gave the steroid to his friend without charge. The bodybuilder did NOT admit to selling steroids in the plea agreement (”Local bodybuilder pleads guilty to distributing steroids,” August 12).
A local bodybuilder tied to an ongoing steroid drug ring pleaded guilty to one count of distributing drugs in Tulsa federal court Wednesday morning.
During a hearing before U.S. District Judge Claire Eagan Wednesday, Guy Ducasse, 46, pleaded guilty to distributing steroids in 2006, He testified in court that he gave an anabolic steroid to his dentist, who he said was also his friend. However, he denied selling the drugs to the dentist.
The government is not required to prove that Ducasse sold steroids in order to convict him on a federal steroid distribution charge. Steroid distribution, with or without financial compensation, is a criminal violation of the Anabolic Steroid Control Act. Yet, Assistant United States Attorney Janet Reincke insisted that Ducasse sold steroids.
Swedish police have exonerated IFBB pro bodybuilder Irene Andersen of steroid distribution charges. A May 6, 2009 news story published by the Swedish newspaper Expressen.se had implicated Andersen in the possession of anabolic steroids with the intent to resale and distribute. The Swedish newspaper has since admitted to Andersen’s attorney that the sole basis of this allegation was based on a single confidential female source. The source has since been discredited and appears to have been motivated by a personal vendetta against Andersen.
MESO-Rx has obtained police documents confirming that Irene Andersen was NOT involved in steroid distribution. Irene Andersen was interrogated by police in Sweden during a series of steroid raids during the week of April 20th, 2009. Police interrogated twelve top Swedish bodybuilders, including at least two IFBB pro bodybuilders, during an exploratory investigation into steroid distribution in the region.
The girlfriend of one of the co-defendants in the Brandon Millay (Kong Labs) steroid case has been indicted by a federal grand jury for hiding anabolic steroids from federal agents during the investigation. Mary Kay Hamilton, along with her boyfriend Jimmie Lynn Garrison, allegedly “concealed and covered up anabolic steroids from United States Postal Inspection Service and Food and Drug Administration agents investigating the illegal distribution of anabolic steroids” according the additional charge filed by federal prosecutors on July 8, 2009. Hamilton allegedly helped Garrison obstruct the federal investigation on or about May 6, 2008 shortly after the Brandon Millay steroid ring was busted in April 2008 .
Jimmie Garrison was indicted along with three other co-conspirators in December 2008 on various steroid-related charges. Brandon Millay, the alleged ringleader, is the only defendant to have pleaded guilty thus far; Millay has agreed to completely and truthfully cooperate with the government by testifying before any grand juries and trials upon demand.
Mary Hamilton initially appeared to have escaped prosecution. However, federal prosecutors decided to include her name in the superseding indictment shortly before Brandon Millay was scheduled to be sentenced and prior to the other co-defendants going to trial.
Read The Full Story Here:
Girlfriend of Steroid Dealer Indicted for Hiding Steroids from Federal Agents
Bruce Zaccaria has been detained without bail as an unacceptable “danger to the community” based solely on an allegation of selling 250 vials of anabolic steroids to bodybuilders who were members of a Houston-area 24 Hour Fitness almost two years ago. By contrast, a judge in an unrelated Dallas-area case apparently feels that a suicidal man firing a gun at police does not represent a threat to society.
Bruce Zaccaria’s pre-trial detention highlights the significant disparities in sentencing for defendants awaiting trial in Texas in court cases where anabolic steroids are involved.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Calvin Botley seems to have concluded that the safety of the community is at considerable risk from steroid use by bodybuilders. Judge Botley determined there were absolutely no conditions that could possibly protect the community from the dangerous Zaccaria if he were released on bail. Zaccaria was charged with “conspiracy to manufacture/possess with intent to distribute anabolic steroids” punishable by up to 5 years in prison.
On 6-10-2009, Millard Baker posted on MuscleMayhem.com that indicted Texas NPC Chairman, Lee Thompson, was set to resolve his legal problems, and join the pro-steroid/steroid-law-reform fight:
Lee Thompson and his fiancee personally thanked me for my factual and professional articles fairly explaining his legal predicament when I saw them at the NPC Lone Star Classic last weekend in Plano… he told me that once his legal situation is resolved he will become a vocal critic of the steroid witch-hunt.
NPC Oklahoma bodybuilder and promoter Tom Burke pleaded guilty to a criminal felony steroid conspiracy charge on June 4, 2009 and was granted a deferred sentence of two years probation. Burke’s plea will be expunged without a conviction upon successful completion of the deferred sentence. Burke was one of 6 Oklahoma NPC and IFBB bodybuilders arrested in April 2009 arising out on a two-year steroid investigation targeting Oklahoma bodybuilders.
Tulsa Police interrogated Burke a week prior to his arrest at Symmetry Gym in Tulsa, where he worked as a personal trainer, and allegedly discovered human growth hormone (HGH) and testosterone in his car. Burke was accused of giving anabolic steroids and HGH to bodybuilders at Symmetry Gym to help them prepare for competition according to his arrest warrant. Burke previously competed at the 2007 Branch Warren Classic and helped co-promote the Oklahoma State and Central Classic in previous years.
Agent Brian Surber, of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control (OBNDDC), has suggested there will be further arrests in the ongoing Oklahoma investigation targeting bodybuilders.
NPC Texas Chairman and IFBB Judge Lee Thompson was indicted on anabolic steroid conspiracy charges by a federal grand jury on April 30, 2009 in United States District Court for the South District of Texas. Court documents confirm the rumors that Timothy Lee Thompson aka Lee Thompson was one of the individuals facing federal charges in the Operation Farmacia de Juicy Phruit drug bust led by the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Department and the DEA. Lee Thompson was charged with one count of “conspiracy to manufacture and possess with the intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of anabolic steroids, a Schedule III controlled substance (21 USC 841(a)(1); 841(b)(1)(D); and 846)”. *
Lee Thompson, the owner of One-2-One Training Centers in the Houston area, was previously publicly identified only as the “gym owner” arrested in the steroid bust. His identity was “unsealed” following his arrest. Lee Thompson is one of 22 co-defendants named along with Charles Brock Falkenhagen, the primary suspect in the investigation, in a superseding federal indictment. The superseding indictment included 46 counts involving the distribution of anabolic steroids, human growth hormone, hydrocodone, MDMA and money laundering. It is important to note that Thompson ONLY faces a single steroid conspiracy charge while Falkenhagen was named on each of the 46 counts.
Thompson was the third person arrested in the federal case; he appeared in court and was released on $50,000 unsecured bond the day prior to the highly-publicized execution of several dozen state and federal arrest warrants in steroid raids in the Houston area on May 27, 2009. Brock Falkenhagen and Richard Troy Daniell Jr. were arrested the previous week on May 20, 2009. Thompson’s arraignment was set for June 1, 2009 at 10:00am.
Lee Thompson’s indictment regardless of his guilt or innocence, is troubling news for competitive bodybuilding organizations including NPC Texas, NPC and the IFBB given his high-profile position within the organizations. The National Physique Committee (NPC) and International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB) may have hoped to have this information suppressed in their own self-interest. However, full disclosure is clearly in the best interests of personal trainers, fitness professionals, gym owners, contest promoters and others involved in the network of competitive bodybuilding . After all, they are most likely to be affected by the increasing attention by law enforcement to steroids in bodybuilding (especially in Texas).
The immediate concern for the NPC and IFBB is the impact that Thompson’s legal problems will have on his promotion of the NPC Texas State Naturals Bodybuilding Championship (Jul. 18), NPC Texas State Bodybuilding Championships (Oct. 24) and IFBB Houston Pro Fitness/Figure/Bikini contest (Aug. 29). Thompson’s legal issues could also potentially bring increased attention by law enforcement upon the the bodybuilders competing at these contests especially since the aforementioned contests are all held in Fort Bend County.
ABC news is reporting that a 43 year old Australian man was caught at Melbourne airport carrying almost 150 vials of steroids, and is expected to be charged with importing prohibited goods. After arriving on a flight from Hong Kong, he was stopped by Customs officials and found to be carrying steroids scattered around his person; in his pockets, around his belt and also in his luggage.
The maximum penalty for importing steroids into Australia is 5 years.
Two kiwi bodybuilders are facing steroids charges after allegedly importing and selling a cocktail of the muscle-pumping prescription drugs to other competitors.
The cases have sparked new calls for bodybuilding officials to bring back drug testing, which was dropped about three years ago.
The men, from West Auckland, are nutritionist and former Mr New Zealand Marc William Rainbow, 42, and personal trainer Andrew James Van Lent, 24.
Most of the steroids charges, laid by the Ministry of Health under the Medicines Act, carry a fine of up to $40,000. Some have a penalty of six months' imprisonment. Rainbow and Van Lent each face more than 50 charges.
Police have also charged Rainbow with possessing instruments to make methamphetamine, as well as manufacturing and supplying the Class-A drug.
He and his business partner were allegedly importing the steroids through their business, SSIS Pharmaceuticals, and selling hundreds of bottles to individuals.
Rainbow was the first New Zealand bodybuilder to turn professional and competed successfully in the United States in the 90s. He won the Mr New Zealand title twice and Mr Australia title once. Rainbow will be back in the Auckland District Court next month.
The U.S. Attorney's Office is reviewing a case against two alleged steroid dealers, but agency spokesman Steve Cole said he can't speculate on if or when charges will be filed.
Polk Count Florida Sheriff's deputies said they have plenty of evidence that Richard "Andy" Thomas and his wife, Sandra, were big-time steroid dealers. But they're still trying to determine whether Richard Thomas was telling the truth when he said he is the biggest steroid provider in Central Florida and that he sold mostly to professional athletes, including those on the Washington Capitals hockey team and Washington Nationals baseball team.
The Thomases, who live in Lakeland, were arrested Tuesday after a tip from the Philadelphia office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Sheriff Grady Judd said that detectives seized an estimated $200,000 in illegal steroids when the pair was arrested.
They will have their first appearance in court at 1 p.m. Thursday.
Messages seeking comment weren't immediately returned by Major League Baseball.
Washington Nationals President Stan Kasten said the team is using its resources to learn more about the case, according to the Washington Times. Capitals defenseman Donald Brashear told Baltimore radio station WJFK-AM he wasn't aware of steroid use by teammates.
"The Washington Capitals have no knowledge of any aspect of this allegation. Capitals players were subjected to no-notice testing three times in each of the past two seasons pursuant to the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and there was no indication of any improper conduct or wrongdoing," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement.
"Even though there are no specifics provided in the story and we have no reason, at this point, to believe the allegations are true, the National Hockey League takes all matters of this nature very seriously and will conduct a prompt investigation."
Dick Patrick, Washington Capitals president, said his team has no reason to believe Thomas' allegations have merit. But he also said his team takes such accusations seriously.
Kristen Mealer, the most recent owner/operator of the underground steroid lab known as “Hell Fire Labs”, has pleaded guilty today to a single count of conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids. Federal agents had raided Kris Mealer’s Arkansas home, his gym Stone County Fitness Center, and a warehouse. Agents discovered 400 grams of raw steroid powder and 6,626 mL of liquid steroids during the steroid bust. Mealer admitted to distributing 185,029 dosage units of various anabolic steroids.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Houghton said Mealer agreed to join the steroid ring known as “Hell Fire Labs” in January 2007 and that his participation continued until federal agents busted the operation in February 2008.
Agents raided Mealer’s Arkansas home and fitness center, Stone County Fitness Center. They also raided a warehouse, where Houghton said they discovered an “operational, underground anabolic steroid lab.”
Houghton said the lab was provided by a co-conspirator in Vandergrift in order to convert steroid powder into a usable liquid form. She said another ring member in Indianapolis provided Mealer with 250 e-mail addresses for customers, who ranged from Western Pennsylvania to Washington.
Hell Fire Labs was founded prior to 2006 and previously based in Vandergrift, Pennsylvania. Hell Fire Labs started with the distribution of DNP and other non-controlled ancillary medications. They eventually expanded their product line to include various oral and injectable anabolic steroids.
Kris Mealer did not join the organization until approximately January 2007. It appears that one of the co-conspirators operating Hell Fire Labs prior to January 2007 shipped the laboratory equipment and supplies to Mealer. Mealer took over operation of the underground steroid lab and distributed the Hell Fire Labs steroids via the Internet. Mealer admitted to distributing 185,029 dosage units of various anabolic steroids including testosterone, methandrostenolone (Dianabol), chlordehydromethyltestosterone, boldenone undecylenate (Equipoise), methenolone enanthate (Primobolan Depot), nandrolone decanoate (Deca Durabolin), dromostanolone propionate (Masteron), oxymetholone (Anadrol), nandrolone phenylpropionate and oxandrolone (Anavar).
IFBB professional bodybuilders Martin Kjellström and Irene Andersen were interrogated by police in Sweden during a recent series of steroid raids in Göteborg, Stockholm and Malmö during the week of April 20th, 2009. Police apparently rounded up twelve of the top Swedish bodybuilders, including at least two IFBB pro bodybuilders, during an exploratory investigation into steroid distribution in the region. But no charges have been filed in the case (”Kroppsbyggare fast i drograzzia,” May 6).
Swedish police have been known to arrest bodybuilders for suspicion of steroid
use based on appearance alone. Police questioned the bodybuilders about their use of anabolic steroids. Most of the bodybuilders interrogated were found in possession of steroids in personal quantities for bodybuilding purposes. All indications suggest that Swedish police are primarily interested in busting major drug dealers of steroids and narcotics and not bodybuilders who use personal quantities of steroids and related performance enhancing drugs.
IFBB pro Martin Kjellström cooperated with police and permitted them to search his home where they discovered only small quantities of anabolic steroids. The steroids purportedly amounted to a 1-2 week personal supply
; Kjellström’s physician in Norway corrobated the pharmaceutical regimen with Swedish police. Kjellström explained to police that most bodybuilders are hard-working professional athletes and NOT drug dealers. There was NOT a steroid bust but only involved questioning by the Swedish doping police. It is not expect to effect his contest preparations for the 2009 Mr. Olympia.
The penalties for personal possession of anabolic steroids in Sweden is comparatively low. However, major doping offenses carry serious consequences that include up to four years imprisonment. Drug-related crimes carry sentences up to 10 years imprisonment.
IFBB Pro Female Bodybuilder Irene Andersen
Unfortunately, Swedish police are accusing 42-year old IFBB pro bodybuilder Irene Andersen of possession of anabolic steroids with the intent to resale and distribute. Police allegedly seized steroids valued at less than USD $4,000 (30,000 Swedish kronor) and suspect that Andersen sold steroids to other individuals. The pro bodybuilder, gym owner and mother of three young children, strongly disputes this accusation and maintains that they were for personal use only.
Scott Siegel, the actor who played a steroid dealer in “The Wrestler”, was arrested on steroid distribution charges. He was busted with 1,500 bottles of anabolic steroids and more than $100,000 in cash.
Prosecutors say that when Scott Siegal, 33, was approached by law enforcement officers on Feb. 18, he fled in his car and intentionally hit several Eastchester Police Department cars and cars belonging to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
In addition, Siegel allegedly drove his car directly at an officer with the DEA’s Westchester County Drug Enforcement Task Force in an apparent attempt to run him over.
Scott Siegel was charged with one count of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute anabolic steroids and one count of assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, and interfering with officers and employees of an agency of the U.S. Government while engaged in and on account of the performance of official duties. If convicted, Siegel faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
A big steroid bust leads to 10 arrest warrants. Investigators say when they began the investigation two years ago; they vastly underestimated how bad the problem of anabolic steroid abuse was in Oklahoma. The bust doesn't involve your average drug user. The accused are middle and upper class professionals. Some are accused of using steroids, others of selling or giving them away and agents say one man even ordered the raw ingredients from China to make his own.
The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Tulsa Police have been working the case, along with help from the Drug Enforcement Agency, U.S. Marshals and other agencies.
Officers were directed to a job site, where they found Derrick Davis.
"Here's what's going to happen. You'll be booked into Tulsa County and there is a bond, so you can bond out," the arresting officer told Davis.
Documents show Davis ordered raw anabolic steroid compounds from China in order to make injectable steroids. They say when Davis realized his latest shipment had been seized by Customs; he had a friend hide all his steroid stuff at work, which police also recovered.
A nationally recognized competitive bodybuilder from Tulsa, Trudy Ireland-Kline was out of state and promised to surrender when she returns.
Documents show she admitted using steroids, but said she quit because they were causing heart problems.
"The abuses come when people flood their body with doses well beyond anything considered therapeutic," said "Tom" with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.
Agents say Tom Burke is a steroid dealer who admitted using steroids for 20 years, including to prepare for the 2008 Oklahoma Open bodybuilding competition.
He's a trainer at this Tulsa gym and records show he gave steroids to several people he trained. Agents say steroid abusers are in denial about the effects and side effects.
"They can see it in everyone else, but can't see the abuse in themselves," said "Tom" with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.
Brad Stahlheber was arrested at a Muskogee hospital where he works. Agents say he admitted buying steroids over the internet and using them for cosmetic reasons.
Dr. Gary Lee faces charges of writing more than 30 steroid prescriptions to a couple of competitive bodybuilders and a power hitter on a national softball team.
And, in Oklahoma City, Darrell Terrell, an amateur bodybuilder who's been featured in national magazines and city firefighter Sherry Smith, both face charges after a search of their home turned up steroids and syringes.
Christian Navoy was sentenced to 27 months in prison, 3 years probation and ordered to forfeit assets worth almost $2 million dollars by U.S. District Judge B. Avant Edenfield on March 31, 2009. Navoy operated a research chemical company that sold bodybuilding ancillary products. Navoy pleaded guilty to a single count of “conspiracy to introduce misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, to sell drug paraphernalia [anabolic steroid accessories], and to commit mail fraud”. Navoy’s guilty plea and forfeiture reportedly assured the freedom of wife Jennifer Navoy who had faced similar charges. The government has dropped all charges against Jennifer Navoy; she will walk away with no criminal history after the completion of one year of pre-trial diversion. A review of the case provides insight into how the government is cracking down on steroid and ancillary drug use in bodybuilding community.
Chris Navoy and Jennifer Navoy owned and operated ResearchChemist.com which sold various ancillary drugs and bodybuilding products such as Clomiphene, Sildenafil, Finasteride, Letrozole, Tamoxifen, and Vardenafil as well steroid conversion kits. Navoy did NOT sell anabolic steroids or controlled substances nor did authorities seize any illegal steroids during the execution of search warrants contrary to news stories, police statements, and government court documents. The case solely involved “research chemicals” and “conversion kits”. Many individuals in the bodybuilding community have closely followed this potentially precedent-setting case for the legality of “research chemical” sales.
A professor at a western Kentucky community college has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of selling anabolic steroids.
Federal prosecutors say 41-year-old Brandon Joseph Millay of Owensboro pleaded guilty Thursday to distributing and misbranding anabolic steroids, and failing to register an establishment used to process, package, and change labels on anabolic steroids.
Millay, a professor at Owensboro Community and Technical College, was one of four people charged.
The other three have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.
Millay is scheduled for sentencing before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. McKinley on July 8.
Daniel McGlone was sentenced to two years in prison for advertising, marketing, and promoting American Pharmaceutical Group (AMG) as a source for anabolic steroids and human growth hormone in bodybuilding magazines and through the Internet website PrescriptionProtocol.com. Daniel McGlone aka American Pharmaceutical Group paid $18,150 to American Media Inc. (AMI) for magazine advertisements over about an 18-month period; AMI publishes the bodybuilding magazines FLEX Magazine, Muscle & Fitness and Men’s Fitness. AMG also paid for $1,800 for advertisements in the bodybuilding magazine Planet Muscle for a couple of months.
The American Pharmaceutical Group made $860,810 over a twenty-eight month period in proceeds from anabolic steroid and HGH sales to individual customers and referral bonuses from compounding pharmacies such as Signature Pharmacy. Customers responding to ads in bodybuilding magazines and on the Internet were prescribed various anabolic steroids, human growth hormone and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Specific drugs included testosterone, testosterone cypionate, testosterone propionate, testosterone enanthate, stanozolol, nandrolone decanoate, and somatropin (”Steroid seller given two-year term,” January 17).
“You are a drug dealer,” U.S. District Judge William E. Smith said. “To call it something else is just to gloss it over.” [...]
Prosecutors say McGlone made more than $860,000 from steroid and HGH sales arranged from 2003 to 2006 through American Pharmaceutical Group, a business he operated from his New Brunswick, N.J., home.
Under the scheme, he would solicit prescriptions from doctors, including two sentenced in 2007 for their roles. One, Ana Maria Santi, of Queens, N.Y., had prescribed 84,000 doses of steroids and HGH to 400 customers of pharmaceutical sales companies, including McGlone’s, prosecutors said. McGlone would then forward those prescriptions to compounding pharmacies, which would deliver the drugs to customers throughout the country, including Rhode Island.
