Pharmacy raid implicates more players

Post by **heyzeus** » February 27 07, 11:04 am

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4585646.html

DA in Albany, N.Y., raids Fla. steroids center
Yearlong investigation of Internet drug sales may expose use by pro athletes

By BRENDAN J. LYONS, Senior writer
Copyright © Times Union

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A downtown pharmacy here was raided by a law enforcement task force on Tuesday, apparently as a result of a large New York state grand jury investigation into Internet drug sales.

The unusual inquiry, led by Albany County's district attorney, has taken New York narcotics agents and a federal task force deep inside a maze of shadowy pharmacies and Web sites that have reaped millions of dollars in profit by allegedly exploiting federal and state prescription laws, according to court records.

More than two dozen doctors, pharmacists and business owners have been, or will be, arrested in the coming days on sealed indictments charging them with various felonies for unlawfully distributing steroids and other controlled substances, records show.

The Times Union has learned that investigators in the year-old case, which had remained quiet until now, uncovered evidence that testosterone and other performance-enhancing drugs may have been fraudulently prescribed over the Internet to current and former Major League Baseball players, National Football League players, college athletes, high school coaches, and a former Mr. Olympia champion and another top contender in the bodybuilding competition.

The customers include Los Angeles Angels centerfielder Gary Matthews Jr., according to sources with knowledge of the investigation.

Sources also said New York Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement investigators recently interviewed a top physician for the Pittsburgh Steelers about his alleged purchase last year of roughly $150,000 of testosterone and human growth hormone.

In the past several years, Internet-based pharmacies have become the new drug delivery system for tens of thousands of customers nationwide, displacing smugglers, overseas mail-order companies and so-called ``gym rat'' dealers who sell steroids from the trunks of their cars, according to state and federal investigators.

Tuesday's raid of Signature Pharmacy, an Orlando business that did an estimated $36 million in business last year, could expose a long list of sports figures, celebrities and others who have turned to Internet pharmacies for illegal drugs such as steroids, authorities said. Albany County District Attorney David Soares said his office pursued the case, in part, because New York has some of the strictest prescription drug laws in the country. In addition, Signature Pharmacy last year did an estimated $6 million in business in New York, he said.

"We're arresting young men on street corners every day for selling drugs,'' he said. "Signature did $30 million last year ... $250,000 in Albany County.''

Hungary Jack · Post by **Hungary Jack** » February 27 07, 11:13 am

Anyone here think the Angels might be a bit nervous?

Phyrkrakr · Post by **Phyrkrakr** » February 27 07, 11:18 am

Let's see, who else in Texas had career years last year? Mark De Rosa, perhaps?

I'm not trying to start a witch hunt, but this could have some big repercussions, and not only in baseball.

skmsw · Post by **skmsw** » February 27 07, 11:38 am

Hungary Jack wrote:Anyone here think the Angels might be a bit nervous?

Anyone here think every team gets a bit nervous when this stuff hits?

stldogget05 · Post by **stldogget05** » February 27 07, 11:41 am

At this point no ones name really surprises me.

maddash · Post by **maddash** » February 27 07, 11:42 am

skmsw wrote:
Hungary Jack wrote:Anyone here think the Angels might be a bit nervous?
Anyone here think every team gets a bit nervous when this stuff hits?

Considering MLB's history in actually enforcing their drug rules... probably not.

Maybe things are changing though - at least let's hope so.

Post by **heyzeus** » February 27 07, 1:14 pm

I can't believe a player would be dumb enough to use his name in conjunction with getting a prescription for steroids. But then, the Carolina Panthers did it.

Popeye_Card · Post by **Popeye_Card** » February 27 07, 1:26 pm

Hungary Jack wrote:Anyone here think the Angels might be a bit nervous?

Maybe, but I'm wondering if contracts these days might have out clauses for steroid suspensions and the like.

--P--

Hungary Jack · Post by **Hungary Jack** » February 27 07, 2:48 pm

Popeye_Card wrote:
Hungary Jack wrote:Anyone here think the Angels might be a bit nervous?
Maybe, but I'm wondering if contracts these days might have out clauses for steroid suspensions and the like.

--P--

I think a worst case scenario might be that the career year Matthews had in 2006 that earned his 5/50 deal turns out to be a steroid-fueled mirage, he regresses to the performance level of a decent fourth outfielder, but his steroid use cannot be proven, leaving the Angels stuck with a horrible contract.

Popeye_Card · Post by **Popeye_Card** » February 27 07, 3:03 pm

Hungary Jack wrote:
Popeye_Card wrote:
Hungary Jack wrote:Anyone here think the Angels might be a bit nervous?
Maybe, but I'm wondering if contracts these days might have out clauses for steroid suspensions and the like.

--P--
I think a worst case scenario might be that the career year Matthews had in 2006 that earned his 5/50 deal turns out to be a steroid-fueled mirage, he regresses to the performance level of a decent fourth outfielder, but his steroid use cannot be proven, leaving the Angels stuck with a horrible contract.

The best case scenario (for the Angels), if they do have the clause in there that I wonder about, is that they can just flat drop him with little to no monetary penalty.

But I don't know if such clauses exist and/or are legal under current collective bargaining rules.

--P--