Trial in Applied Pharmacy Services steroids case begins.

The trial of 10 men charged in a steroids conspiracy involving an online pharmacy based in Mobile has begun.

Prosecutors told jurors Monday that Applied Pharmacy Services was the epicenter of a wide-ranging conspiracy that sold doses of dangerous steroids to customers in nearly every state.

Chief U.S. District Judge Ginny Granade last week handed prosecutors a victory by deciding to allow them to introduce evidence about a Colorado businessman's alleged history with steroids.

Brett Branch, who ran an Eaton, Colo. health company that authorities contend illegally sold steroids, is 1 of 12 people named in the indictment.

Branch and business owners are accused of recruiting doctors to write bogus prescriptions for anabolic steroids, which Applied Pharmacy Services filled.

A pharmacy near Bel Air Mall was the epicenter of a wide-ranging conspiracy that sold thousands of doses of dangerous steroids to customers in nearly every state, a federal prosecutor told jurors today as the trial of 10 defendants got under way.

With the defense lawyers crammed shoulder to shoulder at a trio of tables in front them, the defendants watched from a long bench as Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna Dobbins laid out the prosecution's case that Applied Pharmacy Services reaped hundreds of thousands of dollars by mass producing steroids without valid prescriptions.

"These defendants were part of a nationwide conspiracy to illegally sell thousands of doses of anabolic steroids to users throughout this country," she said. "Daily, these defendants put the health and safety of hundreds of people at risk for millions of dollars. They were motivated by greed and greed alone."

Applied Pharmacy, which operated out of a nondescript building near Bel Air Mall, was a compounding pharmacy. Unlike a retail pharmacy, a compounding pharmacy alters medication to the specifications of a doctor.

Dobbins said that A. Samuel Kelley II, the pharmacy's president and CEO, made $1 million over a three-year period off the sale of steroids without a valid prescription. She told jurors that Jodi Silvio, the treasurer and part owner, made $560,000 from the sales.

The customers, Dobbins said, were mostly male and included teenagers. She added that some of the drugs were powerful growth hormones approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use only in animals like cows and horses.

"Once they take their lab coats off, they're just like any other drug dealer," she said.

Defense attorneys took turns telling jurors that their clients are innocent. They said the pharmacists relied on the prescriptions written by licensed physicians.

Trial began Monday in the case of a Mobile based pharmaceutical company accused of supplying steroids to athletes allegedly including Heavyweight Champion Evander Holyfield, retired baseball star Jose Canseco, and Los Angeles Angels center fielder Gary matthews.

Investigation into Applied Pharmacy Services of Mobile started in 2007. In 2008, 12 people were named in the 198 count federal indictment. They were accused of conspiracy to dispense and distribute anabolic steroids.

Monday, 11 of them went before Judge Ginny Granade at the Federal Courthouse in Mobile.

Brett Branch, an Applied Pharmacy sales representative from Colorado, is one of the men involved. He is accused of recruiting doctors to write prescriptions for steroids.

Investigators say pharmacists at Applied Pharmacy Services would fill and ship the prescriptions.

Court documents also name three Applied Pharmacy shareholders, Jason Kelley, Jody Silvio, and Samuel Kelley as participants in the conspiracy. They face charges that could land them up to five years in prison if convicted.

Pharmacists Michael Bennett, Robin Kelly, Mallory Mallon, and Roger Everett face the same charges.

Alternative medical practitioner Jesse Haggard, and Ronald Winter are also named as distributors.

The indictment accuses James Abernathy and Daniel Riedel of selling illegal prescriptions.

Applied Pharmacy Services was located off International Drive in Mobile. New owners took over office space, and renamed it in June 2008.