Roid Runner

[BarbellBeast]

Move this if you see fit, I thought this was the best section since it focuses on competitors.

Has Operation Roid Runner discouraged you from competing? I know it has for me. I was planning on doing at least 2 more shows in the near future but that seems very iffy right now as it would paint a big target on me.

[GENESIS]

Describe this Roid Runner? im not familiar...

[Kekoa]

Series of arrest in the PA area

[GENESIS]

Really... on what grounds?

[zipmouth]

November 24, 2009

Attorney General agents arrest 10 in connection with a steroid manufacturing and distribution scheme in the Harrisburg & Lehigh Valley


HARRISBURG - Attorney General narcotics agents today arrested 10 suspects for their alleged involvement in the use, distribution and manufacture of steroids in the Dauphin, Cumberland, Lehigh and Northampton County areas.

Attorney General Tom Corbett said that the investigation, known as "Operation Roid Runner," began in the fall of 2007 and revealed that, since 2004, the defendants were allegedly responsible for bringing more than $170,000 worth of steroids from China and Mexico into Pennsylvania.

"Like any illegal drug, steroids come with negative and dangerous physical effects," Corbett said. "We need to do everything we can to make sure that the public, especially young men, are aware of the dangers of using steroids, and we need to take those who distribute this poison off our streets."

Evidence and testimony about the alleged criminal activity was presented to a statewide investigating grand jury, which recommended the criminal charges being filed today.

According to the grand jury, five of the defendants were obtaining and selling steroids in the Cumberland and Dauphin County areas. These include two personal trainers, Stacy and Eric Garonzik, who allegedly injected clients with liquid steroids in the office of their gym, Kinetics, which is now closed, but was located at 1 Lemoyne Square, Lemoyne.

Corbett identified the other defendants in the Harrisburg area as Robert Greynolds, Joel France and Christopher Levan. Many of the steroid deliveries in the Harrisburg area took place near Gold's Gym in Swatara Township.

According to the grand jury, as investigators followed the steroid supply to the Lehigh Valley, they discovered five other men, Marcus Lazaro, Chad Gillespie, John Sassaman, George Koufalis and Chris Niemczyk, all allegedly involved in distributing steroids.



According to the grand jury, the defendants were dealing steroids in both pill and liquid form.

Corbett explained that the Garonziks, Lazaro and Gillespie allegedly obtained steroids by placing orders on the internet to various individuals in China and Mexico. The international suppliers were paid via wire transfers.

According to the grand jury, a total of approximately $170,000 was sent overseas through wire transfers between January of 2004 and January of 2009. The investigation revealed that the senders used fictitious names and structured the wire payments, keeping the amounts wired below $1,000, to avoid detection from law enforcement.

Corbett said that because the steroid orders sometimes cost up to $9,000, Lazaro and Gillespie allegedly began to obtain bulk powder steroids.

According to the grand jury, Lazaro used the internet to research how to make injectable steroids from powder form and, along with Gillspie, began to manufacture steroids, which they branded "Pro Lab," at Lazaro's residence in Freemansburg, Northampton County.

Corbett said that Sassaman and Koufalis, both bodybuilders, allegedly obtained "Pro Lab" steroids from Lazaro and Gillespie and sold them to other bodybuilders in order to pay for the expenses of bodybuilding competitions.

According to the grand jury, agents executed a search warrant on Lazaro's residence in Freemansburg and seized more than nine pounds of bulk steroids, numerous syringes, a 9mm firearm, nearly $8900 and various items used in the manufacture of steroids such as filters, oils and alcohols.

Corbett added that during this investigation, agents seized a total of more than 700 bottles of steroids, 1,337 pills containing steroids, nine pounds of bulk steroids, $28,000 and four other firearms.

The defendants will be preliminarily arraigned before Harrisburg Magisterial District Judge Michael J. Smith and will be prosecuted in Dauphin County by Senior Deputy Attorney General Heather Adams of the Attorney General's Drug Strike Force Section.

Corbett thanked the Department of Health and Human Services, the Food & Drug Administration - Office of Criminal Investigations, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Freemansburg Police Department and the Middletown Police Department for their assistance in the investigation.

Corbett noted that the investigation is ongoing.

Below is a full list of the defendants and the charges against them:

Robert Greynolds, 28, 451 N. Union St., Middletown, is charged with nine counts of delivery of steroids, one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, one count of carrying a firearm without a license, one count of criminal conspiracy and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Joel France, 42, 4251 E. Catalina Lane, Harrisburg, is charged with three counts of delivery of steroids, one count of criminal conspiracy and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Christopher Levan, 36, 426-B W. Simpson St., Mechanicsburg, is charged with one count of delivery of steroids and one count of criminal conspiracy.

George Koufalis, 34, 2158 Woodridge Drive, Macungie, is charged with two counts of delivery of steroids, one count of possession with intent to deliver steroids, one count of possession of drug paraphernalia and one count of criminal conspiracy.

John Sassaman, 51, 1803 Stratford Court, Allentown, is charged with four counts of delivery of steroids and one count of criminal conspiracy.

Chad Gillespie, 33, 740 4th St., Catasauqua, is charged with two counts of criminal conspiracy, one count of possession with intent to deliver steroids, one count of manufacturing steroids and one count of dealing in proceeds of an unlawful activity.

Marcus Lazaro, 29, 123 Somerset St., Freemansburg, is charged with three counts of delivery of steroids, two counts of possession with intent to deliver steroids, two counts of criminal conspiracy, two counts of dealing in the proceeds of an unlawful activity, one count of manufacturing steroids and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Christopher Niemczyk 31, 1013 Old Course Lane, Easton, is charged with four counts of delivery of steroids, one count of possession with intent to deliver steroids, one count of possession with intent to deliver ecstasy, one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, one count of misbranding Ketamine and one count of criminal conspiracy.

Stacy Garonzik, 38, 110-C W. Vine St., Shiremanstown, is charged with one count of delivery of steroids, one count of possession with intent to deliver steroids, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity and one count of criminal conspiracy.

Eric Garonzik, 39, 3404 Lisburn Road, Mechanicsburg, is charged with one count of delivery of steroids, one count of possession with intent to deliver steroids, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity and one count of criminal conspiracy.

(A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty.)

# # #

[joe-ali]

R u f-ing kidding me??? 170grand is dick! If that was a cocaine bust everyone would laugh and make fun of the officers. The US sucks so bad now. It is fastly becoming a fascist state! Way to use nazi propaganda to further blind people to the facts. Sorry for the rant.

[HammerStrength12]

Move this if you see fit, I thought this was the best section since it focuses on competitors.

Has Operation Roid Runner discouraged you from competing? I know it has for me. I was planning on doing at least 2 more shows in the near future but that seems very iffy right now as it would paint a big target on me.

Superdrol for bulking, epi/research clen for cutting - told you prohormones have some advantages lol

[BarbellBeast]

It has just been a Pennsylvania thing so far busting NPC and IFBB bodybuilders, but there's nothing restricting this federal operation from expanding.