Couple charged for domestic distribution of Chinese steroids.

More than $1.8 million worth of steroids and other pharmaceuticals were seized and a Rensselaer couple was arrested in the largest steroids case in county history, Rensselaer County law enforcement officials said Monday. A six-month investigation led to the March 1 arrest of Zachery Wilkins, 33, and Holly Fiato, 28, of 111 Washington Ave., Sheriff Jack Mahar said Monday. Wilkins and Fiato were released without bail on a charge of felony criminal possession of a controlled substance. The felony carries a sentence of up to seven years in state prison. District Attorney Richard McNally said the couple is cooperating with investigators. As middlemen for the steroids distribution, Wilkins and Fiato would receive the steroid doses and pills in the mail and forward them to another address as directed, McNally said. Based on information provided to investigators, the couple were provided with fake identification, including a Florida driver's license, and used post office boxes and local UPS drop-offs for moving the drugs, McNally said. It appears the drug distribution has links to China, he said. Police seized 44,825 liquid doses of steroids and 289,550 pharmaceutical pills, according to the sheriff's office. Police also confiscated two shotguns and packaging materials. The multi-agency investigation involved the sheriff's and district attorney's offices, the Rensselaer Police Department, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security.