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.
Showing posts with label somatopause. Show all posts
Showing posts with label somatopause. Show all posts
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.
North Naples woman re-arrested on steroid charges.
A North Naples woman was arrested and charged with two counts of steroid possession on Tuesday, roughly three months after deputies raided the home she shared with her fitness trainer husband.
Veronica Daniela Troemner, 29, of 5440 Teak Wood Drive, was arrested by Collier deputies in the 3000 block of U.S. 41 E. She was charged with two counts of possession of steroids, a felony. Following Troemner’s January arrest, the steroid charges were pending tests by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
In January, Troemner was arrested along with her husband, Nicholas Munson Troemner, 28, a trainer at Lifestyle Family Fitness Center. Deputies reported seizing $20,000 worth of suspected steroids from their home, as well as marijuana and firearms.
At the time, Nicholas Troemner was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and failure to register as a convicted felon, among other charges. After tests were completed on the suspected steroids earlier this month, Nicholas Troemner was re-arrested and charged with possession of anabolic steroids with intent to sell and with eight counts of possession of anabolic steroids.
Veronica Troemner initially faced charges of possession of marijuana over 20 grams and possession of narcotic paraphernalia. A search of the couple’s residence turned up more than 200 vials of suspected anabolic steroids. The report of Veronica Troemner’s arrest on Tuesday noted that two of those vials were found in a bedroom dresser, under feminine undergarments — accounting for the two counts of possession against her.
Veronica Daniela Troemner, 29, of 5440 Teak Wood Drive, was arrested by Collier deputies in the 3000 block of U.S. 41 E. She was charged with two counts of possession of steroids, a felony. Following Troemner’s January arrest, the steroid charges were pending tests by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
In January, Troemner was arrested along with her husband, Nicholas Munson Troemner, 28, a trainer at Lifestyle Family Fitness Center. Deputies reported seizing $20,000 worth of suspected steroids from their home, as well as marijuana and firearms.
At the time, Nicholas Troemner was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and failure to register as a convicted felon, among other charges. After tests were completed on the suspected steroids earlier this month, Nicholas Troemner was re-arrested and charged with possession of anabolic steroids with intent to sell and with eight counts of possession of anabolic steroids.
Veronica Troemner initially faced charges of possession of marijuana over 20 grams and possession of narcotic paraphernalia. A search of the couple’s residence turned up more than 200 vials of suspected anabolic steroids. The report of Veronica Troemner’s arrest on Tuesday noted that two of those vials were found in a bedroom dresser, under feminine undergarments — accounting for the two counts of possession against her.
Hulk Hogan mentions steroids in his new book "My life outside the ring".
I loved little details, like this description of living with Beefcake, and working together in a Tampa bar. "After working out and running the gym all day, Brutus and I had a pretty standard routine. We'd open up the bar and get everything settled, and then we'd come back and watch David Letterman's Late Night show. Man, we laughed our asses off. While we watched, we'd drink these power shakes. I'd take the most fattening protein there was, called Metabol, and dump it in a blender with half a cube of vanilla Haagen-Dazs ice cream, a banana, and two huge wads of peanut butter. Probably the most fattening shit you can eat. We'd drink two blenders of that crap, watch Letterman, then go back to the bar and stay until closing at 4:00 a.m."
And in this autobiography, he comes clean about steroid use, and it's obvious that a surprising amount of introspection went into the text.
"It's also weird to think about the fact that I was doing all of this -- and the steroids -- while telling all of my young fans week after week, 'Train, say your prayers, and take your vitamins.' That line was like my own Bob Barker catchphrase. I threw that sentiment out into the world day after day. Not that there's anything wrong with that message. It's a great message. It was just a little bit hypocritical that my activities behind the scenes didn't match the role-model persona I was putting out there," Hogan writes. "I'm glad I did it, though. Putting that kind of positive message out there to millions of kids is one of the least self-centered things I did in all those years. I put it right up there with visiting kids for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and other charity work I did. Throwing that kind of positive vibe out into the universe can only bring positive things in return."
And in this autobiography, he comes clean about steroid use, and it's obvious that a surprising amount of introspection went into the text.
"It's also weird to think about the fact that I was doing all of this -- and the steroids -- while telling all of my young fans week after week, 'Train, say your prayers, and take your vitamins.' That line was like my own Bob Barker catchphrase. I threw that sentiment out into the world day after day. Not that there's anything wrong with that message. It's a great message. It was just a little bit hypocritical that my activities behind the scenes didn't match the role-model persona I was putting out there," Hogan writes. "I'm glad I did it, though. Putting that kind of positive message out there to millions of kids is one of the least self-centered things I did in all those years. I put it right up there with visiting kids for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and other charity work I did. Throwing that kind of positive vibe out into the universe can only bring positive things in return."
Fish oil makes Tamoxifen work better.
A US study on rats found that tumours became more responsive to the drug tamoxifen with the addition of fish oil to their diets.
Researchers concluded that omega-3 fatty acids found in the fish oil could prove to be a safe and beneficial booster for tamoxifen therapy.
Tamoxifen blocks the female hormone oestrogen's ability to fuel breast cancer.
Rats with breast cancer were fed either a 17% fish oil diet or a 20% corn oil diet for eight weeks. In each case the oil supplement was given with or without tamoxifen.
Analysis of the tumours showed that omega-3 fatty acids in the fish oil increased the activity of genes promoting cellular specialisation, or differentiation.
This indicates an anti-cancer effect, since cancer cells are highly undifferentiated.
Combining fish oil and tamoxifen also reduced the activity of genes linked to tumour growth and cancer spread.
Study leader Dr Jose Russo, director of the Breast Cancer Research Laboratory at Fox Chase Cancer Center Philadelphia, said: "If a tumour was being treated with tamoxifen, the addition of an omega-3 fatty acid diet seemed to make the tumour, at least at the molecular level, more benign and less aggressive and responsive to tamoxifen."
The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Orlando, Florida.
Researchers concluded that omega-3 fatty acids found in the fish oil could prove to be a safe and beneficial booster for tamoxifen therapy.
Tamoxifen blocks the female hormone oestrogen's ability to fuel breast cancer.
Rats with breast cancer were fed either a 17% fish oil diet or a 20% corn oil diet for eight weeks. In each case the oil supplement was given with or without tamoxifen.
Analysis of the tumours showed that omega-3 fatty acids in the fish oil increased the activity of genes promoting cellular specialisation, or differentiation.
This indicates an anti-cancer effect, since cancer cells are highly undifferentiated.
Combining fish oil and tamoxifen also reduced the activity of genes linked to tumour growth and cancer spread.
Study leader Dr Jose Russo, director of the Breast Cancer Research Laboratory at Fox Chase Cancer Center Philadelphia, said: "If a tumour was being treated with tamoxifen, the addition of an omega-3 fatty acid diet seemed to make the tumour, at least at the molecular level, more benign and less aggressive and responsive to tamoxifen."
The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Orlando, Florida.
DEA claims China still the number one manufacturer of steroids.
Anabolic steroids are illegal. Possessing them, or selling them, can land you in jail. But buying them?
Just do a search on your computer for "steroids" and "China" and get a credit card ready. Your supplier is online.
"They come from China, from the United Kingdom, from Germany and eastern Europe," said Rusty Payne, a spokesman for the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. "But most of them come from China."
"Virtually all of it today is coming from China," said Don Hooten, president of the Taylor Hooten Foundation, a Texas-based organization dedicated to educating young people about the danger of steroids.
The stuff sold on local markets is not what star athletes get from fancy laboratories.
Instead it is of dubious quality, often mixed and packaged at dealers' homes. If there's lead or arsenic in the stuff China ships, then so be it.
"It's a seedy, bad business," Payne said.
And yet people are using anabolic steroids -- weekend athletes and hard-core jocks alike, Hooten said.
Many are teenagers trying to improve their standing on a high school team. But even more often, it's the so-called "mirror athletes" -- young men and women who use it to tone their physiques, he said.
Police officers and firefighters -- wanting to be stronger -- are users as well, he said.
"Yes, yes, yes," said Hooten, whose son Taylor committed suicide after using anabolic steroids. "We hear about that all the time."
Suspicion of steroid use in the Danbury area was kindled by the arrest of Mark Mansa, of Bethel, last month.
Federal authorities claim Mansa was part of a drug ring that moved more than 1,000 pounds of marijuana through the region.
But for seven years Mansa was allegedly selling what prosecutors called a "significant" amount of steroids as well.
That would imply some people were buying.
Chip Salvestrini Jr., the former director of athletics at Danbury and Ridgefield schools who now serves as athletic director for the city of White Plains, N.Y., said it is pointless to deny that people use illegal steroids.
High school coaches who do so are in denial, he said.
"It's like saying students don't use alcohol or smoke cigarettes," Salvestrini said. "It is around, but we just don't know how much or where. Nobody knows that."
But the DEA has tracked the China-steroid connection, most notably in 2007, the year before the Beijing Olympics.
In a sweep called Operation Raw Deal, the DEA broke up more than 50 steroid laboratories in the U.S. -- the largest anabolic steroid operation in the DEA's history.
That investigation found laboratories in the U.S., Mexico and Canada were getting their raw materials from Chinese suppliers.
Payne said rather than the vials of steroids that users inject, the product from China comes in a dry powder. It then gets mixed with oil, put in vials and sold illicitly.
The "labs" where the mixing gets done, Payne said, are sinks and bathtubs. There's no guarantee of sanitary conditions.
And the oil can be anything on hand.
"It can be Wesson oil, peanut oil, sesame oil," Hooten said. "We found it mixed with motor oil on the West Coast."
And, he said, there are no federal regulators in China to make sure the anabolic steroids materials meet some official seal of approval.
"There's one study that showed 21 percent of what was sold from China had lead, mercury, tin or arsenic in it," Hooten said.
"It's Russian roulette," said Payne of the DEA.
He said the U.S. government is still watching the anabolic steroid trade. Anyone buying steroids online, he said, should be aware that a government sting operation could be in place.
But Payne also acknowledged it's impossible for law enforcement agencies to keep tabs on all the websites and all the buyers.
"The Internet is a blessing," Payne said. "But unfortunately in cases like this, it can be a curse."
Just do a search on your computer for "steroids" and "China" and get a credit card ready. Your supplier is online.
"They come from China, from the United Kingdom, from Germany and eastern Europe," said Rusty Payne, a spokesman for the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. "But most of them come from China."
"Virtually all of it today is coming from China," said Don Hooten, president of the Taylor Hooten Foundation, a Texas-based organization dedicated to educating young people about the danger of steroids.
The stuff sold on local markets is not what star athletes get from fancy laboratories.
Instead it is of dubious quality, often mixed and packaged at dealers' homes. If there's lead or arsenic in the stuff China ships, then so be it.
"It's a seedy, bad business," Payne said.
And yet people are using anabolic steroids -- weekend athletes and hard-core jocks alike, Hooten said.
Many are teenagers trying to improve their standing on a high school team. But even more often, it's the so-called "mirror athletes" -- young men and women who use it to tone their physiques, he said.
Police officers and firefighters -- wanting to be stronger -- are users as well, he said.
"Yes, yes, yes," said Hooten, whose son Taylor committed suicide after using anabolic steroids. "We hear about that all the time."
Suspicion of steroid use in the Danbury area was kindled by the arrest of Mark Mansa, of Bethel, last month.
Federal authorities claim Mansa was part of a drug ring that moved more than 1,000 pounds of marijuana through the region.
But for seven years Mansa was allegedly selling what prosecutors called a "significant" amount of steroids as well.
That would imply some people were buying.
Chip Salvestrini Jr., the former director of athletics at Danbury and Ridgefield schools who now serves as athletic director for the city of White Plains, N.Y., said it is pointless to deny that people use illegal steroids.
High school coaches who do so are in denial, he said.
"It's like saying students don't use alcohol or smoke cigarettes," Salvestrini said. "It is around, but we just don't know how much or where. Nobody knows that."
But the DEA has tracked the China-steroid connection, most notably in 2007, the year before the Beijing Olympics.
In a sweep called Operation Raw Deal, the DEA broke up more than 50 steroid laboratories in the U.S. -- the largest anabolic steroid operation in the DEA's history.
That investigation found laboratories in the U.S., Mexico and Canada were getting their raw materials from Chinese suppliers.
Payne said rather than the vials of steroids that users inject, the product from China comes in a dry powder. It then gets mixed with oil, put in vials and sold illicitly.
The "labs" where the mixing gets done, Payne said, are sinks and bathtubs. There's no guarantee of sanitary conditions.
And the oil can be anything on hand.
"It can be Wesson oil, peanut oil, sesame oil," Hooten said. "We found it mixed with motor oil on the West Coast."
And, he said, there are no federal regulators in China to make sure the anabolic steroids materials meet some official seal of approval.
"There's one study that showed 21 percent of what was sold from China had lead, mercury, tin or arsenic in it," Hooten said.
"It's Russian roulette," said Payne of the DEA.
He said the U.S. government is still watching the anabolic steroid trade. Anyone buying steroids online, he said, should be aware that a government sting operation could be in place.
But Payne also acknowledged it's impossible for law enforcement agencies to keep tabs on all the websites and all the buyers.
"The Internet is a blessing," Payne said. "But unfortunately in cases like this, it can be a curse."
Australian traffic stop leads to seizure of 1000 vials of steroids and a gun.
Police have found more than 1000 vials of steroids and a loaded pistol after stopping two cars in Sydney's south.
Detectives arrested three people after a Magna and a Mercedes-Benz sedan were stopped in Wolli Creek at 12.25pm (AEST) today.
The drugs allegedly were found in the Mercedes and the .357-magnum pistol in the Magna.
The three arrested men have been charged with supplying and possessing a restricted substance.
A 52-year-old man from Mordialloc, in Victoria, and a 35-year-old man from Turrella ave been refused bail and are due to appear in Kogarah Local Court tomorrow.
A 28-year-old Rockdale man has been bailed to appear at Kogarah Local Court on May 3.
Detectives arrested three people after a Magna and a Mercedes-Benz sedan were stopped in Wolli Creek at 12.25pm (AEST) today.
The drugs allegedly were found in the Mercedes and the .357-magnum pistol in the Magna.
The three arrested men have been charged with supplying and possessing a restricted substance.
A 52-year-old man from Mordialloc, in Victoria, and a 35-year-old man from Turrella ave been refused bail and are due to appear in Kogarah Local Court tomorrow.
A 28-year-old Rockdale man has been bailed to appear at Kogarah Local Court on May 3.
Australian customs does controlled delivery of wine bottle full of nandrolone.
Police customs and border protection officers have seized a quantity of steroids posted to a man in Karratha.
Police say officers at the international mail centre in Perth found found 750 ml of liquid nandrolone in a bottle of wine.
They raided a home in Karratha where it is alleged they found methylamphetamine, ecstasy and ammunition.
A 51 year-old man has been charged with possessing a prohibited drug with the intent to sell or supply and possessing unlicensed ammunition.
He is due to appear in the Karratha Magistrate's Court on 3 May.
Police say officers at the international mail centre in Perth found found 750 ml of liquid nandrolone in a bottle of wine.
They raided a home in Karratha where it is alleged they found methylamphetamine, ecstasy and ammunition.
A 51 year-old man has been charged with possessing a prohibited drug with the intent to sell or supply and possessing unlicensed ammunition.
He is due to appear in the Karratha Magistrate's Court on 3 May.
Scientists hope to prove estrogen is the real cause of roid rage.
Now, Thomas Hildebrandt's team at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York are conducting the first longitudinal study of anabolic steroid users. By monitoring participants before, during and after cycles of steroid use, the group hopes to work out how the drugs exert their effects and how long these might last.
Once injected or swallowed, anabolic steroids are broken down into either androgen or oestrogen. The group's preliminary results suggest that the amount and rate of breakdown varies between individuals and that the ratio of the two hormones may predict which users develop aggressive behaviours. Those with more oestrogen than androgen appear more likely to exhibit aggression.
Hildebrandt reckons steroid users could have a blood test to find out how likely they are to experience roid rage. Altered levels of androgen and oestrogen would be evident within the first couple of weeks of a three-to-six-month cycle of steroid use. Controversially, Hildebrandt also suggests that a drug that blocks the conversion of steroid to oestrogen could be taken to help suppress the aggressive side effects. These kinds of drugs - called aromatase inhibitors - are already prescribed to people who need to keep their oestrogen levels low, such as those with breast cancer.
Once injected or swallowed, anabolic steroids are broken down into either androgen or oestrogen. The group's preliminary results suggest that the amount and rate of breakdown varies between individuals and that the ratio of the two hormones may predict which users develop aggressive behaviours. Those with more oestrogen than androgen appear more likely to exhibit aggression.
Hildebrandt reckons steroid users could have a blood test to find out how likely they are to experience roid rage. Altered levels of androgen and oestrogen would be evident within the first couple of weeks of a three-to-six-month cycle of steroid use. Controversially, Hildebrandt also suggests that a drug that blocks the conversion of steroid to oestrogen could be taken to help suppress the aggressive side effects. These kinds of drugs - called aromatase inhibitors - are already prescribed to people who need to keep their oestrogen levels low, such as those with breast cancer.
New research claims fasting may prevent heart disease and raise HGH levels.
Cardiologists with the Intermountain Medical Center say that fasting may help reduce the risk of coronary artery disease, or heart disease.
Researchers at the medical center's Heart Institute studied 230 people who fasted for 24 hours, and doctors found the body's biology reacted in multiple ways. Most notably, the amount of human growth hormone increased by up to 2000-percent.
"The body says, I'm not getting food. What do I do about it? The human growth hormone goes up and the fat cells start being burned as fuel," said Dr. Benjamin Horne, Director of Cardiovascular and Genetic Epidemiology.
That means that those who routinely fast may have fewer fat cells, lowering insulin resistance, which leads to a lower risk of diabetes. Diabetes is one of the major and most potent risk factors for heart disease.
Researchers at the medical center's Heart Institute studied 230 people who fasted for 24 hours, and doctors found the body's biology reacted in multiple ways. Most notably, the amount of human growth hormone increased by up to 2000-percent.
"The body says, I'm not getting food. What do I do about it? The human growth hormone goes up and the fat cells start being burned as fuel," said Dr. Benjamin Horne, Director of Cardiovascular and Genetic Epidemiology.
That means that those who routinely fast may have fewer fat cells, lowering insulin resistance, which leads to a lower risk of diabetes. Diabetes is one of the major and most potent risk factors for heart disease.
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