A jury found Cleveland police Lt. Anthony Tuleta guilty Tuesday of drug possession and theft for illegally purchasing steroids over the Internet and billing his insurance company.
Tuleta, 51, bought the from Dr. Ramon Scruggs, 62, of Santa Ana, Calif., and submitted bills totaling $95,000 to Medical Mutual.
Tuleta was found guilty by a Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court jury of all charges -- six counts of drug possession and one count of theft. He was suspended in November without pay from his job after 27 years with the police department. He faces dismissal at a meeting with the Public Safety Director Martin Flask. The meeting had not been scheduled as of Tuesday afternoon.
Tuleta faces up to 24 years in prison when he is sentenced on March 11 by Judge John O'Donnell.
Scruggs was sentenced last month to three years in prison for prescribing steroids for non-medical reasons. He did so from January 2003 through June 2007, Assistant County Prosecutor James Gutierrez said.
Scruggs pleaded guilty to five counts of drug trafficking.
Former Cleveland firefighter Craig Romey, 39, also bought steroids from Scruggs and billed Medical Mutual. He served 30 days of probation after pleading guilty in May to drug possession.
His driver's license was suspended until Nov. 14. He paid back $22,355 to Medical Mutual and now lives in Las Vegas, according to court records.
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