Athletes who have taken banned drugs but deny having done so are likely to manipulate their answers on questionnaires to make themselves fit the image of someone who is 'clean' and strongly anti-doping, according to new research by a Kingston University academic.
The study was funded by the World Anti-Doping Agency and carried out by a team headed by Professor Andrea Petroczi from the University's School of Life Sciences. Professor Petroczi surveyed 82 athletes, on an anonymous basis, and competing at various levels. She found patterns in the answers of those who denied using any prohibited performance-enhancing drugs which indicated they were deliberately trying to cover their tracks. "This has major implications for research where the aim is to establish the reasons why athletes take illegal drugs since the vast majority of such studies are based purely on questionnaires," Professor Petroczi explained.
The athletes' self-declared 'clean' status on the questionnaire was checked using hair analysis those taking part were asked to provide a hair sample which was tested for commonly used anabolic steroids, erythropoietin (commonly known as EPO) and major recreational drugs. "Having the opportunity to combine social science techniques with analytical chemistry in this way was a real advantage and it's an approach we will definitely be using again," Professor Petroczi added.
"The really interesting group included those people who denied using any drugs but then tested positive," she said. "This group appeared to have manipulated every aspect of the questionnaire they filled in to fit the typical profile of what they thought would be a non-user." The athletes were asked questions about their attitudes towards doping, such as how much pressure they felt to take performance-enhancing drugs. Professor Petroczi's team found distinct patterns in responses suggesting that they had faked their answers in accordance with how they believed someone who was 'clean' would have replied.
The athletes were also asked to complete a brief computerised word-sorting task using a concept known as the Implicit Association Test (IAT). This was designed to look like a game but was actually used to work out the athlete's attitude to banned substances. Participants were asked to sort a mix of doping-related words, vitamins and foodstuffs, and words representing 'good' and 'bad' into categories as quickly and accurately as possible. Professor Petroczi said this test was much more difficult for athletes to cheat and the difference in how quickly people could complete the various combinations required by this task was revealing in terms of how uppermost these concepts were in their minds.
"Large-scale doping behaviour research needs to change because the clear message is that you cannot trust what individuals say about themselves on questionnaires just because it's anonymous doesn't mean people will be honest," Professor Petroczi said. "People may be deliberately lying or even unwilling to admit things to themselves. This whole field would benefit greatly from using different research methods for instance by using such indirect approaches as the IAT computerised test which use alternative measures that go beyond questionnaires completed by individuals."
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) provided more than £25,000 towards the study. "WADA welcomes research that helps in the fight against doping in sport. We expand our knowledge-base from a wide variety of sources, and research like this is extremely useful," WADA's Director of Education and Program Development, Rob Koehler said.
Showing posts with label manopause. Show all posts
Showing posts with label manopause. Show all posts
Domestic source of Chinese steroids busted.
Waynesboro police say they've shut down a steroid ring operating throughout Augusta County.
Police nabbed three men they say distributed the illegal drugs on multiple occasions in the city.
Forty-seven-year-old Troy Cox, 21-year-old Matthew McClamorch and 29-year-old Richard Stokes are charged with distribution of steroids, which is a felony.
Police say some of the illegal steroids were purchased online from a manufacturer in China, which can add to the danger because it only takes one bad batch to send someone to the hospital instead of the weight room.
Police have notified the post office about the Chinese manufacturer and believe that red flag will help them catch any other online orders.
Sgt. Kelly Walker says he thinks there are more distributors in the area.
"Steroids is a growing problem, not just in professional athletes or in bigger cities," says Walker.
At Powerhouse Gym, personal trainer and nutritionist Lindsay Williams says there is some pressure among body builders to get ripped quick.
"It always is, unfortunately, and I think a lot of people join the gym and think it's going to be much easier than it is to build muscle," says Williams.
However, she says not only is juicing illegal, it's unsafe and does long-term damage to your body.
She says, though it may take longer, consistently putting in the reps on the bench is the only way to safely bulk up.
"It's very well worth it in the end when you do it the right way," says Williams.
Police nabbed three men they say distributed the illegal drugs on multiple occasions in the city.
Forty-seven-year-old Troy Cox, 21-year-old Matthew McClamorch and 29-year-old Richard Stokes are charged with distribution of steroids, which is a felony.
Police say some of the illegal steroids were purchased online from a manufacturer in China, which can add to the danger because it only takes one bad batch to send someone to the hospital instead of the weight room.
Police have notified the post office about the Chinese manufacturer and believe that red flag will help them catch any other online orders.
Sgt. Kelly Walker says he thinks there are more distributors in the area.
"Steroids is a growing problem, not just in professional athletes or in bigger cities," says Walker.
At Powerhouse Gym, personal trainer and nutritionist Lindsay Williams says there is some pressure among body builders to get ripped quick.
"It always is, unfortunately, and I think a lot of people join the gym and think it's going to be much easier than it is to build muscle," says Williams.
However, she says not only is juicing illegal, it's unsafe and does long-term damage to your body.
She says, though it may take longer, consistently putting in the reps on the bench is the only way to safely bulk up.
"It's very well worth it in the end when you do it the right way," says Williams.
Musclebear and associate both from Ukraine to be extradited to the US.
Federal prosecutors landed two guilty pleas Tuesday in what was characterized in court as a multi-agency effort to take down "a large international conspiracy" to peddle anabolic steroids and other illegal muscle-building drugs.
Pleading guilty, and now facing September sentencings, were Paul G. Matthews, 51, of the Pittsburgh area, and Ronald J. Sales, 46, of the St. Louis area. Prosecutors would not provide more detailed information on their residences.
Mr. Matthews ran Matthews Training Concepts and was caught running a steroid manufacturing facility in his home.
Although there was no testimony at hearings Tuesday to any direct business links between Mr. Matthews and Mr. Sales, both were accused of conspiracy to distribute 40,000 units of steroids in Western Pennsylvania and elsewhere, and of paying for them by sending money to Ukraine and China.
At Mr. Matthews' guilty plea hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary McKeen Houghton said that he was doing business with two Ukrainian men, later identified as Oleksandr "Musclebear" Skochyk and Yeveniy Suray.
The two Ukrainians were indicted by a Pittsburgh-based federal grand jury a year ago for distributing illegal, Chinese-made steroids and synthetic testosterone. Arrest warrants were issued, and Ms. Houghton said the men are being extradited.
She said that if Mr. Matthews had not pleaded guilty, agents from the Drug Enforcement Agency, Food and Drug Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Postal Service, among others, would have testified at his trial.
She described how a confidential source tipped agents off to Mr. Matthews' steroid lab, leading to three undercover buys. Packages of steroids from China, addressed to him, were seized at Los Angeles International Airport. A Feb. 10, 2010, raid on Mr. Matthews' home revealed that he was buying raw steroid powder and manufacturing individual doses, which were sold illegally and without warning labels.
Investigators then got search warrants for participants' email accounts, and with help from Canadian law enforcement obtained hundreds of emails between the Ukrainians and their customers, Ms. Houghton said.
Downtown attorney William C. Kaczynski, representing Mr. Suray, declined comment. Mr. Skochyk has no attorney listed in court records.
Mr. Matthews and Mr. Sales could face as much as 20 years in prison, but their actual sentences are likely to be lighter because the prosecution has confirmed that they have accepted responsibility for their crimes. Mr. Sales has a prior drug conviction, which might lengthen his sentence.
Pleading guilty, and now facing September sentencings, were Paul G. Matthews, 51, of the Pittsburgh area, and Ronald J. Sales, 46, of the St. Louis area. Prosecutors would not provide more detailed information on their residences.
Mr. Matthews ran Matthews Training Concepts and was caught running a steroid manufacturing facility in his home.
Although there was no testimony at hearings Tuesday to any direct business links between Mr. Matthews and Mr. Sales, both were accused of conspiracy to distribute 40,000 units of steroids in Western Pennsylvania and elsewhere, and of paying for them by sending money to Ukraine and China.
At Mr. Matthews' guilty plea hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary McKeen Houghton said that he was doing business with two Ukrainian men, later identified as Oleksandr "Musclebear" Skochyk and Yeveniy Suray.
The two Ukrainians were indicted by a Pittsburgh-based federal grand jury a year ago for distributing illegal, Chinese-made steroids and synthetic testosterone. Arrest warrants were issued, and Ms. Houghton said the men are being extradited.
She said that if Mr. Matthews had not pleaded guilty, agents from the Drug Enforcement Agency, Food and Drug Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Postal Service, among others, would have testified at his trial.
She described how a confidential source tipped agents off to Mr. Matthews' steroid lab, leading to three undercover buys. Packages of steroids from China, addressed to him, were seized at Los Angeles International Airport. A Feb. 10, 2010, raid on Mr. Matthews' home revealed that he was buying raw steroid powder and manufacturing individual doses, which were sold illegally and without warning labels.
Investigators then got search warrants for participants' email accounts, and with help from Canadian law enforcement obtained hundreds of emails between the Ukrainians and their customers, Ms. Houghton said.
Downtown attorney William C. Kaczynski, representing Mr. Suray, declined comment. Mr. Skochyk has no attorney listed in court records.
Mr. Matthews and Mr. Sales could face as much as 20 years in prison, but their actual sentences are likely to be lighter because the prosecution has confirmed that they have accepted responsibility for their crimes. Mr. Sales has a prior drug conviction, which might lengthen his sentence.
Britons arrested as part of Spain's Operation Lady steroid crackdown.
Spanish police said the Britons, who have not been named but are all believed to be residents of Marbella, were “leading members” of the alleged network. Some of the illegal substances were reportedly imported into Glasgow before being packed and distributed to Europe via Manchester.
Among others arrested was the director general of a cycling club where, according to police, several former European and world champions were members. Local media reports said the club were based in the Madrid area and that the man was arrested on suspicion of receiving a “significant amount” of the red blood cell-boosting drug EPO.
Other drugs seized in 19 property searches across Spain included anabolic steroids and substances not intended for the sporting market, including hundreds of thousands of counterfeit Viagra tablets. It was these that are alleged to have been sent through Glasgow and Manchester.
The drugs haul was estimated to have a street value in excess of £3 million. Some substances were veterinary treatments and presented serious health risks if taken by humans.
Police said drugs were also imported from India and Turkey, which arrived in Spain through brokers and wholesalers in the UK, Germany and Hungary to avoid detection at Spanish ports.
The investigation is the latest crackdown by the Spanish police following their Operation Puerto in 2006 and Operation Greyhound last autumn, both of which led to the arrest of several high-profile Spanish sports stars. Their approach has highlighted the value of intelligence-led strategies to tackle doping in sport.
UK Anti-Doping has adopted a similar investigative approach with UK law enforcement agencies, though neither it nor the Serious Organised Crime Agency was involved in the Spanish operation.
Police described the ring as “the largest international organisation operating in Spain dedicated to drug trafficking, growth hormone and doping substances.”
The investigation, code-named Operation Lady, also uncovered a secret laboratory in the attic of a house in Elche, Alicante, where growth hormone bought in bulk from China was allegedly being manufactured to be sold on the internet.
Among others arrested was the director general of a cycling club where, according to police, several former European and world champions were members. Local media reports said the club were based in the Madrid area and that the man was arrested on suspicion of receiving a “significant amount” of the red blood cell-boosting drug EPO.
Other drugs seized in 19 property searches across Spain included anabolic steroids and substances not intended for the sporting market, including hundreds of thousands of counterfeit Viagra tablets. It was these that are alleged to have been sent through Glasgow and Manchester.
The drugs haul was estimated to have a street value in excess of £3 million. Some substances were veterinary treatments and presented serious health risks if taken by humans.
Police said drugs were also imported from India and Turkey, which arrived in Spain through brokers and wholesalers in the UK, Germany and Hungary to avoid detection at Spanish ports.
The investigation is the latest crackdown by the Spanish police following their Operation Puerto in 2006 and Operation Greyhound last autumn, both of which led to the arrest of several high-profile Spanish sports stars. Their approach has highlighted the value of intelligence-led strategies to tackle doping in sport.
UK Anti-Doping has adopted a similar investigative approach with UK law enforcement agencies, though neither it nor the Serious Organised Crime Agency was involved in the Spanish operation.
Police described the ring as “the largest international organisation operating in Spain dedicated to drug trafficking, growth hormone and doping substances.”
The investigation, code-named Operation Lady, also uncovered a secret laboratory in the attic of a house in Elche, Alicante, where growth hormone bought in bulk from China was allegedly being manufactured to be sold on the internet.
St. Louis steroid dealer pleads guilty.
A St. Louis-area man accused of selling steroids locally pleaded guilty, and could face a sentence of as long as 20 years in prison.
Charged last month, Ronald J. Sales, 46, confirmed today to U.S. District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose that he imported 40,000 units of anabolic steroids from Ukraine and China, and in 2009 and 2010 sold some of those units in Western Pennsylvania.
Because he has had a past drug conviction, the potential sentence is doubled from 10 years to 20, and the potential fine is doubled to $1 million. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary McKeen Houghton said the government will give him a reduction in the offense level for accepting responsibility for his actions.
Mr. Sales also agreed to give up to the government $21,843 he made from illegal activity.
Charged last month, Ronald J. Sales, 46, confirmed today to U.S. District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose that he imported 40,000 units of anabolic steroids from Ukraine and China, and in 2009 and 2010 sold some of those units in Western Pennsylvania.
Because he has had a past drug conviction, the potential sentence is doubled from 10 years to 20, and the potential fine is doubled to $1 million. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary McKeen Houghton said the government will give him a reduction in the offense level for accepting responsibility for his actions.
Mr. Sales also agreed to give up to the government $21,843 he made from illegal activity.
Two Canadian University football players test positive for steroids.
Two players with the Universite Laval Rouge et Or football team have been suspended for two years after testing positive for steroid use, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport announced Tuesday.
Second-year linebacker Michael Abraham failed a urine test administered on Feb. 7, testing positive for the steroid 19-norandrosterone.
During a second round of tests a month later, first-year offensive lineman Steeve Vachon tested positive for methandienone.
Both players admitted their infractions once confronted with the test results and were banned from playing for the Rouge et Or for two years.
Second-year linebacker Michael Abraham failed a urine test administered on Feb. 7, testing positive for the steroid 19-norandrosterone.
During a second round of tests a month later, first-year offensive lineman Steeve Vachon tested positive for methandienone.
Both players admitted their infractions once confronted with the test results and were banned from playing for the Rouge et Or for two years.
Operation Raw Deal target gets three years for Compton based underground steroid lab.
A man prosecutors say manufactured steroids at one of the largest underground steroid labs ever found in the United States and sold them on the Internet was sentenced on Monday to three years in federal prison.
Warren Abramson, 33, pleaded guilty in January to five counts of possession with intent to distribute anabolic steroids, maintaining a drug-related premises and possessing unregistered firearm silencers.
Abramson was indicted by a federal grand jury last June on charges stemming from a 2007 raid of his home in the Los Angeles suburb of Compton, where authorities say they uncovered a clandestine steroid lab and made one of the largest steroid seizures in U.S. history.
Investigators found more than 6.5 kilograms (14.3 pounds) of anabolic steroids, which translates into more than a quarter million doses, said Thom Mrozek, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles.
Also found were numerous firearms, three silencers and thousands of rounds of ammunition, Mrozek said.
Mrozek said Abramson remained a fugitive following the indictment, until he was arrested in Las Vegas in September while attempting to purchase firearms.
Warren Abramson, 33, pleaded guilty in January to five counts of possession with intent to distribute anabolic steroids, maintaining a drug-related premises and possessing unregistered firearm silencers.
Abramson was indicted by a federal grand jury last June on charges stemming from a 2007 raid of his home in the Los Angeles suburb of Compton, where authorities say they uncovered a clandestine steroid lab and made one of the largest steroid seizures in U.S. history.
Investigators found more than 6.5 kilograms (14.3 pounds) of anabolic steroids, which translates into more than a quarter million doses, said Thom Mrozek, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles.
Also found were numerous firearms, three silencers and thousands of rounds of ammunition, Mrozek said.
Mrozek said Abramson remained a fugitive following the indictment, until he was arrested in Las Vegas in September while attempting to purchase firearms.
Bodybuilding and steroids on the rise in Afghanistan.
Steroids were on sale last week at Bush Bazaar, a maze of stalls named after President George W. Bush because merchants hock U.S. military surplus and other American wares, including bodybuilding vitamins, shakes and powders with names like Mega Mass and Great Gainer.
Among the vendors was Zalmai, 23, who goes by one name and keeps steroid vials and tablets stashed on a shelf in his shop behind bottles of "power capsules" sporting the likeness of Jay Cutler, former Mr. Olympia.
Steroids for sale include systanol, testoviron and deca durabolin. He also sells human chorionic gonadotropin, or HCG, a hormone used to enhance steroids' effects.
Each box of steroids sells for about $5, he said. The Health Ministry inspector who visits regularly does not ask about the steroids — he mainly checks to make sure the protein powders have not expired. Steroids are not illegal, so Zalmai — an aspiring bodybuilder himself — has never had a problem.
"These are only for professionals," he said, adding that he makes those new to the sport wait four months before selling them steroids.
"The people who don't know how to use it are damaging their bodies," he said.
It was rumored that steroids contributed to the death of last year's Mr. Afghanistan heavyweight title winner. Arif Sakhi, 26, died last June after suffering liver and kidney failure, typical side effects of longtime steroid abuse.
Ustaad Bawar Hotak, the head of the Afghanistan Bodybuilding Federation, and others in the Afghan bodybuilding community deny that Sakhi was doping. In a country rife with corruption and organized crime, where conspiracy theories abound, they insist he was killed by his enemies.
"It wasn't about using drugs," gym owner Sherzad says. "He just had problems with people who poisoned him."
But both Sherzad and Hotak concede that doping is common among Afghan bodybuilding amateurs and professionals, and that more could be done to expand testing at professional competitions.
"We don't have the systems to do the doping tests here, because it's expensive," Hotak says, and the country does not have specialized labs to handle testing.
Last year, Afghanistan's National Olympic Committee joined the World Anti-Doping Agency, which has promised drug-testing equipment and funding in coming months, according to the committee's president, Lt. Gen. Mohammad Tahir Aghbar.
Last month, Aghbar created a team of investigators who inspect Kabul's gyms, quietly looking for steroids. During the next few months, they will report which gyms have the most people using steroids, he says, and his office plans to mount an educational campaign in Kabul and other provinces geared toward zero tolerance.
Among the vendors was Zalmai, 23, who goes by one name and keeps steroid vials and tablets stashed on a shelf in his shop behind bottles of "power capsules" sporting the likeness of Jay Cutler, former Mr. Olympia.
Steroids for sale include systanol, testoviron and deca durabolin. He also sells human chorionic gonadotropin, or HCG, a hormone used to enhance steroids' effects.
Each box of steroids sells for about $5, he said. The Health Ministry inspector who visits regularly does not ask about the steroids — he mainly checks to make sure the protein powders have not expired. Steroids are not illegal, so Zalmai — an aspiring bodybuilder himself — has never had a problem.
"These are only for professionals," he said, adding that he makes those new to the sport wait four months before selling them steroids.
"The people who don't know how to use it are damaging their bodies," he said.
It was rumored that steroids contributed to the death of last year's Mr. Afghanistan heavyweight title winner. Arif Sakhi, 26, died last June after suffering liver and kidney failure, typical side effects of longtime steroid abuse.
Ustaad Bawar Hotak, the head of the Afghanistan Bodybuilding Federation, and others in the Afghan bodybuilding community deny that Sakhi was doping. In a country rife with corruption and organized crime, where conspiracy theories abound, they insist he was killed by his enemies.
"It wasn't about using drugs," gym owner Sherzad says. "He just had problems with people who poisoned him."
But both Sherzad and Hotak concede that doping is common among Afghan bodybuilding amateurs and professionals, and that more could be done to expand testing at professional competitions.
"We don't have the systems to do the doping tests here, because it's expensive," Hotak says, and the country does not have specialized labs to handle testing.
Last year, Afghanistan's National Olympic Committee joined the World Anti-Doping Agency, which has promised drug-testing equipment and funding in coming months, according to the committee's president, Lt. Gen. Mohammad Tahir Aghbar.
Last month, Aghbar created a team of investigators who inspect Kabul's gyms, quietly looking for steroids. During the next few months, they will report which gyms have the most people using steroids, he says, and his office plans to mount an educational campaign in Kabul and other provinces geared toward zero tolerance.
IForce Nutrition fined $125000 for steroid tainted supplements.
An Arizona-based pharmaceutical company has been fined and placed on probation for violating federal laws governing dietary supplements.
Tribravus Enterprises, which also does business as IForce Nutrition in California, was penalized this week in federal court in Boise. The company was convicted for distributing drugs that violated the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill fined the company $125,000 and imposed stricter testing protocols during a three-year probation to make sure the company's future diet pills don't contain banned steroids.
Food and Drug Administration investigators found that the company's dietary pills and capsules contained synthetic steroids and should have been regulated as unapproved drugs under federal laws.
The charges were filed in Idaho because Tribravus delivered its products to an Idaho retail company for wider distribution.
Tribravus Enterprises, which also does business as IForce Nutrition in California, was penalized this week in federal court in Boise. The company was convicted for distributing drugs that violated the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill fined the company $125,000 and imposed stricter testing protocols during a three-year probation to make sure the company's future diet pills don't contain banned steroids.
Food and Drug Administration investigators found that the company's dietary pills and capsules contained synthetic steroids and should have been regulated as unapproved drugs under federal laws.
The charges were filed in Idaho because Tribravus delivered its products to an Idaho retail company for wider distribution.
Two British Police officers charged with supplying steroids.
Two St Helens police officers have been suspended after they were charged with misconduct and supplying bodybuilding steroids.
DC Paul Fletcher, 46 of Bryn, Wigan and Sergeant Paul Hornby, 42, of Winstanley, have been accused of supplying Class C drugs.
They are also charged with misconduct in public office.
It emerged this week the charges were brought against them on Thursday, April 14.
The officers appeared at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court, which granted bail to the men until Friday, May 12 when they are due to appear at Liverpool Crown Court.
DC Paul Fletcher, 46 of Bryn, Wigan and Sergeant Paul Hornby, 42, of Winstanley, have been accused of supplying Class C drugs.
They are also charged with misconduct in public office.
It emerged this week the charges were brought against them on Thursday, April 14.
The officers appeared at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court, which granted bail to the men until Friday, May 12 when they are due to appear at Liverpool Crown Court.
British Facebook steroid dealer targetted by UK press.
( The number of steroid dealers on Facebook is very high. I'm actually surprised this is the first case of it to appear in the mainstream press. Many of the dealers are even using their real names ).
Tony Laidler, a 36-year-old bodybuilder, nightclub doorman and Nissan car factory worker, tells potential customers that injecting drugs is not painful and advises them to use Google to check for side-effects.
Repeated postings from Laidler stating "Human growth hormone £150" and "Melantan 2 tanning injections £25" have appeared on the pages of his more than 770 Facebook friends.
Moat, also a bodybuilder and nightclub doorman, had used steroids for years and had a history of violence and paranoia.
He went on the rampage on Tyneside with a sawn-off shotgun last July, murdering one person and seriously injuring two others before eventually killing himself.
Laidler was a childhood friend of Moat and a pall-bearer at his funeral, and has since been a contributor to the "RIP Raoul Moat" Facebook page.
Laidler's adverts, uncovered in a Sky News investigation, encourage people to contact him directly, but some potential customers have written on his Facebook wall.
Enquiring about Melantan 2, a common misspelling of the unlicensed tanning drug Melanotan II, one woman who runs a beauty salon asked Laidler: "Do they hurt?
"Where do u inject it into n would I need a licence for it in the salon? any side effects?" she wrote.
Laidler replied: "dont hurt, get your body to release its tanning agent, tans in 5 day last 3 months ish," adding: "Google it, it's on google".
In reply to another enquiry from a man in County Durham, Laidler described the quantities on offer as: "Melantan 2 10mg per vil, hgh 100iu".
Human growth hormone is measured in International Units, or IUs, of powder while Melanotan II is typically produced in 10mg vials.
Both drugs are mixed with water and injected by users.
Tony Laidler, a 36-year-old bodybuilder, nightclub doorman and Nissan car factory worker, tells potential customers that injecting drugs is not painful and advises them to use Google to check for side-effects.
Repeated postings from Laidler stating "Human growth hormone £150" and "Melantan 2 tanning injections £25" have appeared on the pages of his more than 770 Facebook friends.
Moat, also a bodybuilder and nightclub doorman, had used steroids for years and had a history of violence and paranoia.
He went on the rampage on Tyneside with a sawn-off shotgun last July, murdering one person and seriously injuring two others before eventually killing himself.
Laidler was a childhood friend of Moat and a pall-bearer at his funeral, and has since been a contributor to the "RIP Raoul Moat" Facebook page.
Laidler's adverts, uncovered in a Sky News investigation, encourage people to contact him directly, but some potential customers have written on his Facebook wall.
Enquiring about Melantan 2, a common misspelling of the unlicensed tanning drug Melanotan II, one woman who runs a beauty salon asked Laidler: "Do they hurt?
"Where do u inject it into n would I need a licence for it in the salon? any side effects?" she wrote.
Laidler replied: "dont hurt, get your body to release its tanning agent, tans in 5 day last 3 months ish," adding: "Google it, it's on google".
In reply to another enquiry from a man in County Durham, Laidler described the quantities on offer as: "Melantan 2 10mg per vil, hgh 100iu".
Human growth hormone is measured in International Units, or IUs, of powder while Melanotan II is typically produced in 10mg vials.
Both drugs are mixed with water and injected by users.
Philly detective pleads not guilty in steroids case.
A Philadelphia police detective charged last week with heading a conspiracy to illegally distribute anabolic steroids pleaded not guilty Tuesday in federal magistrate court and was released on $50,000 unsecured bond.
U.S. Magistrate Linda Caracappa also put Keith Gidelson, 34, under 24-hour house arrest with electronic monitoring at his Waldemire Drive home in the city's Andalusia section. He had been detained since his arrest on April 27.
Gidelson, a 14-year veteran, was a detective assigned to the special-victims unit, but had been out on disability before his arrest.
Two other police officers - Joseph McIntyre, 36, and George Sambuca, 25 - were also charged in the case and released on $50,000 unsecured bond. Sambuca has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and distribution of anabolic steroids and McIntyre has not yet been arraigned.
All three have been suspended from the force for 30 days with intent to dismiss.
U.S. Magistrate Linda Caracappa also put Keith Gidelson, 34, under 24-hour house arrest with electronic monitoring at his Waldemire Drive home in the city's Andalusia section. He had been detained since his arrest on April 27.
Gidelson, a 14-year veteran, was a detective assigned to the special-victims unit, but had been out on disability before his arrest.
Two other police officers - Joseph McIntyre, 36, and George Sambuca, 25 - were also charged in the case and released on $50,000 unsecured bond. Sambuca has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and distribution of anabolic steroids and McIntyre has not yet been arraigned.
All three have been suspended from the force for 30 days with intent to dismiss.
Abbott sues Teva to try and keep it's generic Testosterone gel off US pharmacy shelves.
An Abbott Laboratories unit accused generic drugmaker Teva Pharmaceuticals USA in a lawsuit of patent infringement with plans to market a copy of Abbott’s AndroGel testosterone preparation.
Abbott is asking a judge to block U.S. sales of the drug by Teva until the patent expires in 2021, according to an April 29 complaint filed in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware.
Without such an order, “plaintiffs will be substantially and irreparably harmed by Teva’s infringement,” lawyers for Abbott contend in court papers.
The Abbott Park, Illinois-based drugmaker said in a statement April 29 it received approval from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration to sell the 1.62 percent prescription gel formulation, used to treat adult men with hypogonadism, or lack of testosterone.
The condition, affecting nearly 14 million U.S. men, can result in hair loss, erectile dysfunction, decreased sexual desire and depression, according to the statement.
The case is Abbott Products Inc. v. Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., 11-cv-384, U.S. District Court, District of Delaware (Wilmington).
Abbott is asking a judge to block U.S. sales of the drug by Teva until the patent expires in 2021, according to an April 29 complaint filed in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware.
Without such an order, “plaintiffs will be substantially and irreparably harmed by Teva’s infringement,” lawyers for Abbott contend in court papers.
The Abbott Park, Illinois-based drugmaker said in a statement April 29 it received approval from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration to sell the 1.62 percent prescription gel formulation, used to treat adult men with hypogonadism, or lack of testosterone.
The condition, affecting nearly 14 million U.S. men, can result in hair loss, erectile dysfunction, decreased sexual desire and depression, according to the statement.
The case is Abbott Products Inc. v. Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., 11-cv-384, U.S. District Court, District of Delaware (Wilmington).
Pakistan Body Building Federation worried about steroid use.
Excessive use of drugs and steroids by owners of body building gyms in absence of expert advice has become a matter of concern for the Pakistan Body Building Federation.
“It’s a matter of serious concern because this trend is rising among gym owners, which are not checked by any government agency,” said the general secretary of South Asian Body Building Federation, Sohail Anwar.
Talking to this correspondent on the sidelines of a bodybuilding contest held at Sindh Museum, Mr Anwar raised some important questions about the bodybuilding which was getting popular day by day thanks to English and Indian movies.
Anwar who runs a chain of gyms in Karachi believed that bodybuilding was not restricted to a particular class now.
“Irrespective of the discipline, fitness is becoming very important for people. That’s why we are trying to change concept of bodybuilding and trying to introduce a healthy lifestyle,” he said.
“Look at the turnout of youths in this hall for this district-level event…this despite the sport of bodybuilding not getting any backing,” he argued.
On the culture of steroid and supplment use he said, “In fact, gyms are mostly run by uneducated people and they feel free to train boys the way they want. As a result, steroids and food supplements are being excessively used.”
He said that a check and balance system for use of supplements should be put in place under advice of medical experts.
“Educated people are not coming to own this field so quacks become trainers and start training bodybuilders,” Anwar said.
“I raised this issue before the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on sports after we returned from South Asian Games,” he said referring to four gold, two silver and one bronze medals bagged by Pakistani bodybuilders in that event.
“Our federation should be have authority to issue NoCs to people for opening gyms so that this sport is organised in a better way,” he said.
Anwar emphasised the need for a legislation to keep things in order and to check use of drugs and steroids.
“Only food supplements certified by laboratories should be allowed in gyms,” he said.
“It’s a matter of serious concern because this trend is rising among gym owners, which are not checked by any government agency,” said the general secretary of South Asian Body Building Federation, Sohail Anwar.
Talking to this correspondent on the sidelines of a bodybuilding contest held at Sindh Museum, Mr Anwar raised some important questions about the bodybuilding which was getting popular day by day thanks to English and Indian movies.
Anwar who runs a chain of gyms in Karachi believed that bodybuilding was not restricted to a particular class now.
“Irrespective of the discipline, fitness is becoming very important for people. That’s why we are trying to change concept of bodybuilding and trying to introduce a healthy lifestyle,” he said.
“Look at the turnout of youths in this hall for this district-level event…this despite the sport of bodybuilding not getting any backing,” he argued.
On the culture of steroid and supplment use he said, “In fact, gyms are mostly run by uneducated people and they feel free to train boys the way they want. As a result, steroids and food supplements are being excessively used.”
He said that a check and balance system for use of supplements should be put in place under advice of medical experts.
“Educated people are not coming to own this field so quacks become trainers and start training bodybuilders,” Anwar said.
“I raised this issue before the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on sports after we returned from South Asian Games,” he said referring to four gold, two silver and one bronze medals bagged by Pakistani bodybuilders in that event.
“Our federation should be have authority to issue NoCs to people for opening gyms so that this sport is organised in a better way,” he said.
Anwar emphasised the need for a legislation to keep things in order and to check use of drugs and steroids.
“Only food supplements certified by laboratories should be allowed in gyms,” he said.
Fourteen arrested including three cops in bust of domestic Sciroxx steroid supplier.
As federal prosecutors tell it, Philadelphia Police Detective Keith Gidelson had a lucrative side business running a network that illegally distributed anabolic steroids and human growth hormone.
In an indictment unsealed yesterday, Gidelson, 34, and 14 others - including Philadelphia police officers Joseph McIntyre, 36, and George Sambuca, 25 - are accused of conspiring to distribute anabolic steroids and HGH since September 2009.
The three cops - sporting tattoos and bulging biceps - were arrested early yesterday and taken to federal magistrate court in the afternoon.
Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey called it "another dark day" for the department. The arrests bring to 26 the number of city cops who have been charged with crimes since 2009.
Ramsey said the three have been suspended for 30 days with intent to dismiss. Gidelson and Sambuca were recently out on disability. Ramsey said he would seek to recover their pay if they committed the alleged offenses while on disability.
Authorities said that Gidelson ran the distribution network out of his home on Waldemire Drive in the Far Northeast and that he obtained monthly shipments of the steroids and HGH from two suppliers identified only as "Karl" and "Roger" in Europe and China.
Karl allegedly shipped the steroids to Folsom, Calif., where co-defendant Robert James Walters repackaged the drugs and shipped them to Gidelson's house.
Roger shipped steroids to a rented mailbox Gidelson maintained at a UPS store, the indictment said.
Authorities said Gidelson and his wife, Kirsten, 36, who pleaded not guilty yesterday, stored and packaged the steroids and HGH at their home and later met with their 10 drug customers, including McIntyre and Sambuca, at their home and at area fitness clubs to distribute the steroids and HGH.
Gidelson also allegedly distributed steroids to customers throughout the United States who he met through online weightlifting chat rooms and websites.
Authorities said Gidelson and his wife, Walters and co-defendant Jay Giuliano, 41, routinely spoke on cellphones to discuss distribution activities and arrange meeting locations to distribute the steroids and HGH to customers. Giuliano pleaded not guilty yesterday.
The indictment charged that the defendants and their customers "consistently" spoke in code - often referring to the steroids as "stuff" - in order to thwart law enforcement.
For example, authorities said Gidelson sent a text message on March 4 to co-defendant Michael Barclay, 51, that read: "All new books r in brother."
Gidelson, a 14-year veteran, was assigned to the Special Victims Unit before his disability. McIntyre, another 14-year veteran, most recently worked in the 26th District. Sambuca joined the force in 2008 and worked in the 22nd District.
Gidelson is being detained pending a bail hearing on Monday. Sambuca, who pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and distribution charges, was released on $50,000 unsecured bond. McIntyre, who was not arraigned because he wants to hire his own attorney, was also released on $50,000 bond.
In an indictment unsealed yesterday, Gidelson, 34, and 14 others - including Philadelphia police officers Joseph McIntyre, 36, and George Sambuca, 25 - are accused of conspiring to distribute anabolic steroids and HGH since September 2009.
The three cops - sporting tattoos and bulging biceps - were arrested early yesterday and taken to federal magistrate court in the afternoon.
Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey called it "another dark day" for the department. The arrests bring to 26 the number of city cops who have been charged with crimes since 2009.
Ramsey said the three have been suspended for 30 days with intent to dismiss. Gidelson and Sambuca were recently out on disability. Ramsey said he would seek to recover their pay if they committed the alleged offenses while on disability.
Authorities said that Gidelson ran the distribution network out of his home on Waldemire Drive in the Far Northeast and that he obtained monthly shipments of the steroids and HGH from two suppliers identified only as "Karl" and "Roger" in Europe and China.
Karl allegedly shipped the steroids to Folsom, Calif., where co-defendant Robert James Walters repackaged the drugs and shipped them to Gidelson's house.
Roger shipped steroids to a rented mailbox Gidelson maintained at a UPS store, the indictment said.
Authorities said Gidelson and his wife, Kirsten, 36, who pleaded not guilty yesterday, stored and packaged the steroids and HGH at their home and later met with their 10 drug customers, including McIntyre and Sambuca, at their home and at area fitness clubs to distribute the steroids and HGH.
Gidelson also allegedly distributed steroids to customers throughout the United States who he met through online weightlifting chat rooms and websites.
Authorities said Gidelson and his wife, Walters and co-defendant Jay Giuliano, 41, routinely spoke on cellphones to discuss distribution activities and arrange meeting locations to distribute the steroids and HGH to customers. Giuliano pleaded not guilty yesterday.
The indictment charged that the defendants and their customers "consistently" spoke in code - often referring to the steroids as "stuff" - in order to thwart law enforcement.
For example, authorities said Gidelson sent a text message on March 4 to co-defendant Michael Barclay, 51, that read: "All new books r in brother."
Gidelson, a 14-year veteran, was assigned to the Special Victims Unit before his disability. McIntyre, another 14-year veteran, most recently worked in the 26th District. Sambuca joined the force in 2008 and worked in the 22nd District.
Gidelson is being detained pending a bail hearing on Monday. Sambuca, who pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and distribution charges, was released on $50,000 unsecured bond. McIntyre, who was not arraigned because he wants to hire his own attorney, was also released on $50,000 bond.
Alleged Danbury area steroids gang ring leader released from custody.
A Bethel man who authorities said spearheaded a large-scale drug ring selling steroids and marijuana in the area has been released from federal custody.
According to court documents, Mark Mansa, 46, who was arrested on conspiracy charges in late February, was released on $750,000 bond during a hearing this week in U.S. District Court in Bridgeport.
The bond was secured, according to the document, by properties owned by his mother and his girlfriend. Mansa was released on home confinement and into his mother's custody at her home.
Conditions of Mansa's release include electronic monitoring and counseling as deemed appropriate by the probation department, document show. He is also barred from leaving the state and was required to surrender his passport.
The hearing this week was Mansa's third attempt to be released from federal custody while the case against him is pending.
According to court documents, Mark Mansa, 46, who was arrested on conspiracy charges in late February, was released on $750,000 bond during a hearing this week in U.S. District Court in Bridgeport.
The bond was secured, according to the document, by properties owned by his mother and his girlfriend. Mansa was released on home confinement and into his mother's custody at her home.
Conditions of Mansa's release include electronic monitoring and counseling as deemed appropriate by the probation department, document show. He is also barred from leaving the state and was required to surrender his passport.
The hearing this week was Mansa's third attempt to be released from federal custody while the case against him is pending.
Canadian bodybuilder and Project Newton target out on bail.
One of the key figures in a major Hamilton methamphetamine and anabolic steroid bust has been released on $100,000 bail.
Reiner Ruska, 34, was released Friday by Justice of the Peace Barbara Waugh but placed on strict conditions. The powerfully built well-known bodybuilder, who owns and operates Herc’s Nutrition store on Upper James as well as Fitness Nutrition in Grimsby, faces 18 charges in connection with the police investigation.
Ruska was ordered to reside at the Hildegard Drive home of his mother Jeselina, a registered nurse, and cannot leave the home unless in the presence of his mother or her friend Joann Swanson.
Ruska was ordered not to possess drugs or alcohol, have no contact with the other co-accused except for his brother, not to possess a cell phone or pager, and to surrender his passport to Hamilton police.
He was ordered to return to court June 8.
Ruska, a champion bodybuilder, was the main target of Project Newton, an 18-month multi-police-agency investigation that concluded this week with raids on homes and businesses in nine different municipalities and the arrest of 21 people.
Police found 26 kilograms of methamphetamine, known as crystal meth, worth $3 million on the streets, along with $1 million worth of anabolic steroids. They also seized $140,000 in cash, a number of luxury cars and the house where Ruska was living on Craigroyston Road in east Hamilton. The home belongs to his fiancée Carla Rao, who is among the 21 people charged with drug related offences in connection to the raids.
Police said Project Newton broke up a loose-knit group of people in the bodybuilding community who had been peddling steroids, crystal meth and other drugs.
A Hamilton police officer was also charged as a result of the investigation. Constable Andrew Pauls was charged with breach of trust on Thursday for allegedly leaking information to Ruska obtained from confidential police computer files. In an unrelated investigation, Pauls is charged with stealing powerful painkillers from a police evidence locker.
Ruska, who worn a dark long-sleeved shirt and sported short-cropped dark hair, was represented by Hamilton criminal lawyer Paola Konge. Bail was opposed by federal prosecutor Bradley Reitz.
A publication ban was placed on the evidence heard in the proceedings.
Reitz said outside of court that all but three of the 21 charged in Project Newton have received bail. Two others, Justin Bernard and Trevor Armstrong, are slated to appear Monday. The Crown plans to oppose bail for Bernard. A third, Martin Sukan, of Burlington will appear April 27.
The majority of the accused are schedule to make their next court appearance June 8.
Reitz said the crown also opposed bail for accused Hung Chuang Ing of Mississauga. He was released on $100,000 bail Thursday.
At Ruska’s Fitness Nutrition store in Grimsby, staff said they were shocked over the allegations against their boss.
“This is having a impact on our business,” said manager Adam Kelly. “People are staring at the store like it’s a tourist attraction.”
Kelly said the case paints the whole bodybuilding community in a bad light. “This is a legitimate business but now I’m wondering if this place is going to shut down and am I out of a job.”
Reiner Ruska, 34, was released Friday by Justice of the Peace Barbara Waugh but placed on strict conditions. The powerfully built well-known bodybuilder, who owns and operates Herc’s Nutrition store on Upper James as well as Fitness Nutrition in Grimsby, faces 18 charges in connection with the police investigation.
Ruska was ordered to reside at the Hildegard Drive home of his mother Jeselina, a registered nurse, and cannot leave the home unless in the presence of his mother or her friend Joann Swanson.
Ruska was ordered not to possess drugs or alcohol, have no contact with the other co-accused except for his brother, not to possess a cell phone or pager, and to surrender his passport to Hamilton police.
He was ordered to return to court June 8.
Ruska, a champion bodybuilder, was the main target of Project Newton, an 18-month multi-police-agency investigation that concluded this week with raids on homes and businesses in nine different municipalities and the arrest of 21 people.
Police found 26 kilograms of methamphetamine, known as crystal meth, worth $3 million on the streets, along with $1 million worth of anabolic steroids. They also seized $140,000 in cash, a number of luxury cars and the house where Ruska was living on Craigroyston Road in east Hamilton. The home belongs to his fiancée Carla Rao, who is among the 21 people charged with drug related offences in connection to the raids.
Police said Project Newton broke up a loose-knit group of people in the bodybuilding community who had been peddling steroids, crystal meth and other drugs.
A Hamilton police officer was also charged as a result of the investigation. Constable Andrew Pauls was charged with breach of trust on Thursday for allegedly leaking information to Ruska obtained from confidential police computer files. In an unrelated investigation, Pauls is charged with stealing powerful painkillers from a police evidence locker.
Ruska, who worn a dark long-sleeved shirt and sported short-cropped dark hair, was represented by Hamilton criminal lawyer Paola Konge. Bail was opposed by federal prosecutor Bradley Reitz.
A publication ban was placed on the evidence heard in the proceedings.
Reitz said outside of court that all but three of the 21 charged in Project Newton have received bail. Two others, Justin Bernard and Trevor Armstrong, are slated to appear Monday. The Crown plans to oppose bail for Bernard. A third, Martin Sukan, of Burlington will appear April 27.
The majority of the accused are schedule to make their next court appearance June 8.
Reitz said the crown also opposed bail for accused Hung Chuang Ing of Mississauga. He was released on $100,000 bail Thursday.
At Ruska’s Fitness Nutrition store in Grimsby, staff said they were shocked over the allegations against their boss.
“This is having a impact on our business,” said manager Adam Kelly. “People are staring at the store like it’s a tourist attraction.”
Kelly said the case paints the whole bodybuilding community in a bad light. “This is a legitimate business but now I’m wondering if this place is going to shut down and am I out of a job.”
West Shore health club owner to be sentenced after his Operation Roid Runner arrest.
When Eric Garonzik goes before a Dauphin County judge to be sentenced in a steroids possession case Monday, he’ll be eyeing not at an end, but a new beginning, his lawyer said.
The ex-cop, bodybuilder and former West Shore health club owner expects to be sentenced to a stint in county prison, followed by probation, defense attorney Bryan S. Walk said.
Then, Walk said, Garonzik plans to try to rebuild his career in the physical fitness field.
"He has been in that field all of his life," Walk said Friday. "He’s going to stay involved somewhere in the fitness industry. It’s what he knows."
Garonzik, 40, of Lower Allen Twp., is scheduled to appear before Judge John F. Cherry because late last month he pleaded guilty to multiple charges of dealing illegally in steroids.
It is not his first conviction relating to performance-enhancing drugs.
Garonzik, a former part-time police officer in Tower City, Schuylkill County, served a prison term in Lehigh County in 2003 after pleading guilty to steroid possession and conspiracy.
The latest steroid-related charges stem from his November 2009 arrest in a bust the state attorney general’s office dubbed "Operation Roid Runner."
Ten people, four of them from the midstate and the rest from Lehigh County, were charged after a two-year investigation. Among those arrested was Garonzik’s ex-wife, Stacy, 40, of Shiremanstown, another former body-builder.
Authorities claimed the Garonziks, who ran the now-closed Kinetics gym in Lemoyne, illegally sold solid and liquid steroids obtained from China, Panama and Mexico.
Stacy Garonzik also is accused of injecting clients with steroids. Her case is still pending in Dauphin County Court.
Walk said Eric Garonzik was prepared to fight the allegations against him and to challenge the credibility of prosecution witnesses, Walk said, but also had to weigh the risk of facing a state prison had he been convicted.
He said Eric Garonzik decided a plea agreement struck with the attorney general’s office was the better option.
Walk declined to elaborate on the terms of that agreement prior to sentencing. He said it is expected that Eric Garonzik, who has been free on bail, will be allowed to serve his time in the prison work-release program, followed by several years of probation.
"Eric decided to plead because he wanted to get [the criminal case] over with," Walk said. "He’s trying to get his life back in order."
While Eric Garonzik does admit to using steroids years ago for body-building, he is clean now and wasn’t using the substances when he and his ex-wife were arrested 17 months ago, Walk said.
"They didn’t catch Eric or Stacy with even one ounce of steroids," he said. "Anything Eric did with steroids is a thing of the past."
In addition to his 2003 steroid conviction, Eric Garonzik served jail terms in Cumberland County in 2004 and 2006 for a disorderly conduct case and an assault incident, respectively.
Court records show two criminal cases unrelated to the steroid charges are still pending against Eric Garonzik in Cumberland and Dauphin counties.
The Cumberland case involves simple assault and harassment charges filed last month by West Shore Regional Police. The other case deals with a traffic violation and a fleeing police charge filed in December by Harrisburg police.
The other three local men charged in Operation Roid Runner already have pleaded guilty and been sentenced by Dauphin County judges, according to court records.
Joel France, 43, of Harrisburg, was sentenced to 36 months probation in May and Christopher Levan, 37, of New Cumberland received a 24-month probation term in August.
In January, Robert Greynolds, 30, of Middletown, was sentenced to 24 months of intermediate punishment which started with one month in the county prison’s work-release center, followed by 6 months of house arrest.
The ex-cop, bodybuilder and former West Shore health club owner expects to be sentenced to a stint in county prison, followed by probation, defense attorney Bryan S. Walk said.
Then, Walk said, Garonzik plans to try to rebuild his career in the physical fitness field.
"He has been in that field all of his life," Walk said Friday. "He’s going to stay involved somewhere in the fitness industry. It’s what he knows."
Garonzik, 40, of Lower Allen Twp., is scheduled to appear before Judge John F. Cherry because late last month he pleaded guilty to multiple charges of dealing illegally in steroids.
It is not his first conviction relating to performance-enhancing drugs.
Garonzik, a former part-time police officer in Tower City, Schuylkill County, served a prison term in Lehigh County in 2003 after pleading guilty to steroid possession and conspiracy.
The latest steroid-related charges stem from his November 2009 arrest in a bust the state attorney general’s office dubbed "Operation Roid Runner."
Ten people, four of them from the midstate and the rest from Lehigh County, were charged after a two-year investigation. Among those arrested was Garonzik’s ex-wife, Stacy, 40, of Shiremanstown, another former body-builder.
Authorities claimed the Garonziks, who ran the now-closed Kinetics gym in Lemoyne, illegally sold solid and liquid steroids obtained from China, Panama and Mexico.
Stacy Garonzik also is accused of injecting clients with steroids. Her case is still pending in Dauphin County Court.
Walk said Eric Garonzik was prepared to fight the allegations against him and to challenge the credibility of prosecution witnesses, Walk said, but also had to weigh the risk of facing a state prison had he been convicted.
He said Eric Garonzik decided a plea agreement struck with the attorney general’s office was the better option.
Walk declined to elaborate on the terms of that agreement prior to sentencing. He said it is expected that Eric Garonzik, who has been free on bail, will be allowed to serve his time in the prison work-release program, followed by several years of probation.
"Eric decided to plead because he wanted to get [the criminal case] over with," Walk said. "He’s trying to get his life back in order."
While Eric Garonzik does admit to using steroids years ago for body-building, he is clean now and wasn’t using the substances when he and his ex-wife were arrested 17 months ago, Walk said.
"They didn’t catch Eric or Stacy with even one ounce of steroids," he said. "Anything Eric did with steroids is a thing of the past."
In addition to his 2003 steroid conviction, Eric Garonzik served jail terms in Cumberland County in 2004 and 2006 for a disorderly conduct case and an assault incident, respectively.
Court records show two criminal cases unrelated to the steroid charges are still pending against Eric Garonzik in Cumberland and Dauphin counties.
The Cumberland case involves simple assault and harassment charges filed last month by West Shore Regional Police. The other case deals with a traffic violation and a fleeing police charge filed in December by Harrisburg police.
The other three local men charged in Operation Roid Runner already have pleaded guilty and been sentenced by Dauphin County judges, according to court records.
Joel France, 43, of Harrisburg, was sentenced to 36 months probation in May and Christopher Levan, 37, of New Cumberland received a 24-month probation term in August.
In January, Robert Greynolds, 30, of Middletown, was sentenced to 24 months of intermediate punishment which started with one month in the county prison’s work-release center, followed by 6 months of house arrest.
Gyms in Abu Dhabi raided for steroids.
The Municipality of Abu Dhabi recently confiscated a large quantity of steroids and other banned drugs found during random inspections made at health clubs and fitness centres in the capital, a statement sent by the municipality announced yesterday.
The seized drugs, which included hormone drugs and unlicensed steroids, have been sent to the Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD) to assess the level of risk they pose to public health and safety, the statement said.
Steroids are known to increase the risk of cardiovascular and liver disease. This risk is compounded because these drugs are often injected with the help of unsterilised syringes, which can subsequently cause HIV, hepatitis C and bacterial infections in the user.
Since the organisations from which the banned items were seized were only licensed as fitness centres, the municipal statement said that the centres were also at fault of practising unlicensed activities within their premises.
Khalifa Al Rumaithi, director of public health at the municipality, urged all residents and especially youngsters to abstain from using steroids and other drugs without an accompanying medical prescription.
"The municipality will continue to raise awareness about the risk of using such items, as well as take legal action against any violators. We therefore urge the public to report any fitness centres or suppliers of steroids that they come across," Al Rumaithi said.
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