In 2013, a couple of men from Ohio imported illegal steroids from China. They didn’t get caught until March of 2017. On March 14 of this year, both men entered guilty pleas. They admitted to the importation of anabolic steroids from a foreign country.
The documents which were presented in court showed the ways that police investigators trace the sources of anabolic steroids. It’s a predictable routine that law enforcement professionals follow and it’s interesting to know that the police operate in this manner when they are working these cases.
Steroid Importation Carries Risks
The last names of the men who were charged and plead guilty are Stanec and Cleeland. They were charged with the conspiracy to import, possess, distribute and manufacture steroids of the anabolic type. This offence is against federal laws. The evidence was against them! In fact, this case was basically the “open and shut” type. The charges were filed during the last week of February, 2017.
This case demonstrates the way that the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) works with other key agencies, including ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), USPIS (US Postal Inspection Service) and HSI (Homeland Security Investigations), in order to stop steroid sources selling steroids which are domestic from operating.
One aspect of the case which isn’t conventional is that the charges were filed based on criminal acts which took place years ago. No one is quite sure why it took so long to bring the case to fruition by filing the charges. Clearly, the case required a long-term approach, but the details are as yet a bit hazy.
The DEA produced evidence which showed that Western Union was utilized in order to transfer funds for the purpose of paying the steroid supplier in China. Western Union transfer facilities were used during late August of 2013. Stanec’s name was on the transfer leading investigators to flag him.
He was the member of the duo who had the responsibility of receiving the packs of steroids from the foreign nation. Once he received the purchased anabolic steroids, he passed them on to his colleague, who then processed them. The steroids were received in a raw format and ready to be manufactured into finished bodybuilding anabolics.
It took a month after funds were transferred to get the steroids delivered. A tracking number was found by law enforcement which proved the receipt of the steroids. Express Mail Services via the United States Postal Service was utilized in order to perform the transaction. The duo checked in frequently with USPS to track the package and ask about the package before it finally arrived. All of these details were shared in court.
Plenty of Evidence Was Found
Stanec sent his spouse to get the package, perhaps to clock his own identity. She picked up a whopping three hundred and ninety-eight grams of anabolic steroids during mid-October of 2013. Stanec never did get to deliver the package to Cleeland. He was arrested before he could do so.
Cleeland was also arrested around this time. Evidence found in his home included empty vials made of glass, stoppers crafted from rubber, capsules which were empty, gloves made from latex, a scale of the digital type and so on. Raw powder of Methandrostenolone (Dianabol), Stanozolol (Winstrol) and Oxymetholone (Anadrol) were among some of the hormones seized. Basically, he had a compact lab set up. However, there were no measurable amounts of steroids on site. He did have over fifty grams of steroids of the fluid type, as well as tablets made from steroids (eighty-one tablets were seized).
The evidence found was enough to get the two men charged for selling steroids. As well, federal authorities requested seven thousand dollars found in Stantec’s waller while he was busted to be forfeited, as well as his Escalade, which was a Cadillac SUV manufactured in 2003.