Keith Gidelson, a Philadelphia police detective and 14 others, including Huntingdon Valley resident Luke Lors, 31, were charged in a 17-count indictment, unsealed Wednesday, with conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids, U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger said in a release.
Also named in the indictment are fellow police officers Joseph McIntyre and George Sambuca, Gidelson’s wife, Kristen, Robert James Walters, Jay Guiliano, Michael Supilowski, Michael Barclay, Keith Ebner, Jeffrey Filoon, Christian Kowalko, Joel Levin, William Schiavo and Viadotas Verikas, the release said.
The indictment alleges that Gidelson operated an anabolic steroid and human growth hormone distribution organization in Philadelphia and throughout the United States. It further alleges that Gidelson acquired steroids from foreign suppliers and then sold these steroids to his co-conspirators who distributed the drugs to their own customers.
“Police officers swear an oath to uphold the law,” Memeger said in a statement. “When an officer breaks the law, no matter the infraction, he not only violates his oath, he violates the public’s trust. This indictment alleges that three officers placed personal gain ahead of their duty to protect and serve.”
According to the indictment, Gidelson obtained monthly shipments of anabolic steroids and HGH from suppliers in Europe and China. One supplier shipped the steroids to California, where defendant Robert Walters re-packaged them for shipment to Gidelson.
Another supplier shipped orders of steroids to a mailbox that Gidelson had rented at a UPS store.
It is further alleged that Gidelson and his wife stored and packaged steroids and HGH at their home in Philadelphia. The couple allegedly met with drug customers, including defendants Barclay, Ebner, Filoon, Kowalko, Levin, Lors, McIntyre, Sambuca, Schiavo and Verikas, at their home and at Philadelphia-area fitness clubs, to distribute anabolic steroids and HGH in various quantities.
According to the indictment, Gidelson also distributed steroids to customers throughout the United States that he met through online weightlifting chat rooms on websites including: Steroids.com; Inject.com; Isteroids.com; and Bodybuilding.com.
Gidelson also allegedly used the electronic mail service yahoo.com and the encrypted e-mail services hushmail.com and safemail.com to place orders and communicate with his foreign suppliers.
According to John Bryfonski, a DEA special agent, the use of anabolic steroids has been strongly correlated with life-threatening illness, making adults more susceptible to HIV infections, higher rates for cancer and heart failure when compared to the general public.
“Alarmingly, abuse of anabolic steroids among young Americans has reached dangerous levels, placing our children at risk of heart disease, liver cancer, stunted growth, depression, eating disorders as well as increased hostility and aggression all in a misguided effort to achieve fleeting success that too often ends in tragedy.” Bryfonski said in a statement. “In this case, a person who holds a position of public trust is alleged to have placed these very harmful substances into the very same hands he was entrusted to protect.”
According to FBI Special Agent George Venizelos, “the anabolic steroids that are alleged to have been sold throughout Philadelphia and across the U.S by the defendants are dangerous, illegal drugs from foreign countries, represented as legitimate pharmaceutical compounds.”
The news was especially upsetting to Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey. "It’s a hard day when our own members tarnish the badge,” he said in a release. “It’s also a sign that we are committed, however, to fighting for our values of honor, service and integrity for all the men and women in blue who do the right thing and work every day to make Philadelphia a safer city.”
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in prison, three years supervised release, a $250,000 fine and a $100 special assessment, on each count charged.
http://www.montgomerynews.com/articles/2011/04/27/public_spirit_willow_grove_guide/news/doc4db86eb779337509447731.txt?viewmode=2
