The muscle-bound actor who portrayed a steroid dealer in the 2008 hit film "The Wrestler" got body slammed with a 63-month prison sentence Monday for distributing non-cinematic steroids and taking cops on a destructive 30-minute chase as he evaded arrest.
Scott Siegel of New Rochelle fled from DEA agents in his Cadillac Escalade on the night of Feb. 18, 2009, crashing through fences, ramming into police vehicles, and nearly running down several of his pursuers.
"He has a history of anxiety and depression," said Siegel's attorney, Barry Levin. "Between that and the self-medication of steroids, he had what you might call a "‘roid rage."
After Siegel was subdued, agents found a mountain of anabolic steroids in his home that dwarfed the small stash of drugs he sold to Mickey Rourke's lead character in a memorable locker-room scene of the 2008 film. Last October, Siegel pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute anabolic steroids and two counts of assaulting, impeding and interfering with officers in the performance of their official duties.
Levin had sought a 24-month sentence for his client, but U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth Karas – who happens to be the judge that sentenced BALCO sprinter Marion Jones to prison in 2008 – chose the high end of the sentencing spectrum for Siegel, who had previous drug convictions on his record.
Levin said his client might have faced up to 20 years in prison if he had not pleaded guilty.
"He accepted responsibility for his actions," said Levin. "He'd like to start his life fresh and turn his life around."
According to court papers, the evidence officers recovered from Siegel's home included more than 1,450 bottles of liquid steroids in liquid and approximately 28,000 tablets of oral steroids, along with $70,000 in cash and ledgers charting his steroid dealing.
Since his arrest, Siegel has been in a White Plains jail cell where Levin says he suffers from hormonal imbalances caused by years of steroid abuse.
"As a result of abusing steroids since his teenage years, he has developed a serious mood disorder with both manic and depressive aspects," Levin wrote in court papers.
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