July 13, 2017: Four Charged in Counterfeit Body Building Steroid Conspiracy
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U.S. Department of Justice Press Release
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For Immediate Release |
United States Department of Justice District of Massachusetts |
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BOSTON – Four individuals were charged yesterday in federal court in Boston for their roles in a conspiracy to traffic counterfeit steroids, including testosterone and trenbolone, to bodybuilders.
Tyler Bauman, a/k/a “musclehead 320,” 32, of Shrewsbury, and Philip Goodwin, 36, of Lynn, were charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, one count of conspiracy to traffic counterfeit drugs, one count of trafficking counterfeit drugs, one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of money laundering conspiracy.
Kathryn Green, a/k/a Katie Green, a/k/a Katy Green, 30, of Shrewsbury, and Brian Petzke, 49, of Saugus, were charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
All four defendants were previously arrested and charged by complaint on April 12, 2017, along with two other co-defendants, Robert Medeiros and Melissa Sclafani. Medeiros pleaded guilty in June and will be sentenced on Sept. 21, 2017.
According to court documents, from approximately May 2015 until April 12, 2017, the conspirators manufactured steroid products - made from raw materials purchased overseas - in Goodwin’s home, and marketed them as “Onyx” steroids using “Onyx” labels that were also ordered from overseas suppliers. Onyx, now owned by Amgen Inc., is a legitimate pharmaceutical company that does not manufacture steroids.
The defendants allegedly sold the steroids to customers across the United States using email and social media platforms, collected payment through money remitters, such as Western Union and MoneyGram, and used false identifications and multiple remitter locations to pick up the proceeds. Some of the defendants laundered proceeds from the steroid sales through Wicked Tan LLC, a tanning business located in Beverly, which they owned and operated specifically to launder the proceeds of the steroid operation.
The charges of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit drugs and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances provide for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss of the conspiracy. The charge of possession of a controlled substance provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss of the conspiracy. The charge of trafficking in counterfeit drugs provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $5 million. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $500,000 or twice the gross gain or loss of the conspiracy. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Jeffrey Ebersole, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Harman Burkart and David J. D’Addio of Weinreb’s Cybercrime Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Topic(s):
Drug Trafficking
Component(s):