Written by:
John Christoffersen
Four men have been charged in Connecticut with selling anabolic steroids through a MySpace.com profile in an investigation that showed how dangerous substances are sold on Web sites frequented by minors, federal authorities said Monday.
In addition to the four indicted, a Wilton man pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court in Hartford to selling human growth hormones, while a Florida man pleaded guilty Friday in the same court to selling anabolic steroids as part of the ongoing probe. More arrests are expected.
"The dangers associated with the improper use of steroids and human growth hormone are well documented," U.S. Attorney Kevin O'Connor said. "However, this investigation has helped to shed light on additional troubling concerns, including the manufacture of these drugs in unsanitary kitchen and basement labs, and their subsequent sale on Web sites, many of which are frequented by minors."
Undercover FBI agents portrayed themselves as online purchasers of steroids, O'Connor said.
The indictment does not identify the customers. O'Connor said there is no evidence so far of sales to professional athletes. But he said authorities would follow up with the hundreds of buyers to determine if there were any coaches, or to alert parents of any minors who bought steroids.
The charges came as the Drug Enforcement Administration announced Monday that more than 120 people were arrested in an 18-month international investigation of illicit steroid labs. The Connecticut FBI investigation, dubbed Operation Phony Pharm, began last year independently of the international probe, but investigators worked with each other.
Those investigations showed how worldwide manufacturers of the raw materials needed for steroids use Web sites to market their products, authorities said. Steroid Internet message boards and chat rooms also use the latest technology to try to keep their transactions anonymous.
Edwin F. Porter, 41, and Matthew J. Peltz, 36, both of Chandler, Ariz.; Tyler J. Lunn, 27, of Phoenix; and Walter T. Corey, 37, of Charleroi, Pa.; were charged with conspiring to distribute and distribution of anabolic steroids.
The indictment alleges the defendants purchased raw steroid powder from China, manufactured anabolic steroids in home laboratories in oral and injectable form, and distributed them to customers around the country through a MySpace.com profile and a Web site.
Bruce Koffsky, Porter's attorney, said his client intends to plead not guilty. Telephone messages were left for attorneys for Peltz and Lunn. It was unclear who is representing Corey, who had an unlisted telephone number.
Alan R. Blair, 52, of Wilton, pleaded guilty in Hartford federal court Monday to one count of distributing human growth hormone without a prescription. On Friday, Brian S. Tompkins, 29, of Deltona, Fla., pleaded guilty in Hartford to distributing anabolic steroids.
Blair admitted that from November 2004 to April 2007, he distributed HGH to customers throughout world using the Web site http://www.jintropin.com, authorities said. The HGH was shipped directly to Blair's customers from a supplier in China.
As part of his guilty plea, Blair has agreed to forfeit to the government about $260,000 in illegal proceeds.
Peltz, Lunn and Corey face up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $750,000. Porter, who was also charged with lying to the FBI, faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million.
Tompkins and Blair face up to five years in prison when they are sentenced in December
