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Nearly 2 years after steroid bust, all 10 have been convicted
Less than one hour before sunrise on Sept. 23, 2015, quickly-executed state and federal police raids around Broome County and in other states formed the climax of a months-long investigation into underground steroid labs.
Ten men — four from the Endicott, Binghamton and Port Crane areas — faced indictments in federal court for conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids and international money laundering charges that could have carried up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Nearly two years after the raids, all of the defendants have been sentenced, but few drew lengthy penalties behind bars.
BUSTED: Steroid ring spanned 5 states, based in Broome
The stiffest penalty, 78 months in prison, was reserved for the conspiracy's leader: Ryan Root, 39, who was sentenced Aug. 4 in U.S. District Court. Some co-conspirators charged in the case received lesser prison terms, according to court records, while others were handed probation or time served. Sentences are determined by judges and based on various factors including a defendant's criminal record and his or her level of participation in the illegal activity.
Court documents tied to the steroid case, filed in advance of 10 sentencings, reveal more about how the conspiracy unfolded.
Records show how some defendants with interests in bodybuilding joined into an operation that involved money transfers to China in exchange for steroid shipments distributed around Broome County and elsewhere, and how a few co-conspirators were seemingly clueless about key specifics of their undertaking.
The investigation that ended with indictments unsealed Sept. 23 against Root and the other defendants was part of a nationwide crackdown by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
"Using steroids or any synthetically derived controlled substance without regulation is like playing Russian roulette," DEA Special Agent in Charge James Hunt said after Root's guilty plea in November. "Root used his drug trafficking to distribute unregulated anabolic steroids, putting other people's lives at risk."
The U.S. Attorney's Office said the 10 defendants obtained more than 60,000 units of steroids from China and wired funds for steroids to "counterparties" there.
At first glance, the enterprise Root was involved with sounded legitimate, according to a court filing by Lee Kindlon, defense lawyer for co-defendant Kent Fletcher.
Kindlon said Fletcher's mounting medical bills forced him to turn to lower-cost options online and that led to Root's "snake oil."
Eventually, Fletcher got into the manufacture of the very product he was ingesting.
But his role in the conspiracy was minor, Kindlon argued, saying he tried his best to "leave it behind" when the nature of the criminal activity became more apparent. Fletcher was accountable for $1,246 in money transfers to China for steroids, court papers said, noting that was less than one percent of the total amount involved in the conspiracy.
On July 17, Fletcher was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for his role. A notice of appeal for his prison term has been filed.
Another co-defendant, Michael Gisondi, became involved after Root hired him to fix one of his computers, court papers said. Later, Root asked if he wanted to process internet orders for his vitamin supplement business and create a website.
Between April 27 and Sept. 15 in 2015, Gisondi received what he thought were internet orders and handed the roughly 10 parcels to Root. Those parcels turned out to be money from drug sales, according to Gisondi's defense lawyer John Dell'Italia.
Gisondi's mail box was also used by several co-defendants, some of them doing so without Gisondi's knowledge, in order for Root to receive his drug sale proceeds, according to court papers. Two packages that Gisondi did not order himself came from China for the purpose of making anabolic steroids.
Court papers said two defendants, Jeremiah O'Brien and Richard Progovitz, both friends, used the mail to shuffle raw materials for steroids from suppliers to manufacturers involved in the conspriacy.
Dell'Italia said Gisondi, who was sentenced in March to three years on federal probation, bore an "innocent, shameful" role in the conspiracy. Gisondi, his lawyer said, "does not use drugs, order drugs, deliver drugs, send drug money or manufacture drugs."
Although drug trafficking is a very serious offense, Dell'Italia said in court papers, after reviewing this entire case, what appears more serious is the ease with which a person can own and operate a website that sells anabolic steroids.
Since Congress declared anabolic steroids illegal in 1990, law enforcement officials have targeted its production and distribution. But those efforts have not diminished the demand for this performance-enhancing substance, said Rick Collins, a Long Island-based attorney with over 20 years of experience in defending cases involving steroids nationwide, when interviewed by the Press & Sun-Bulletin in September 2015.
Non-medical use of steroids has been around since the 1950s and 60s, Collins said at the time, and the steroid black market is an example of how illegal markets adapt to interdiction efforts by the government.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Solomon Shinerock, who prosecuted the 2015 steroid case, most of the defendants saw working with Root as a way to supplement otherwise lawful ways of supporting themselves and their families.
Root told one co-defendant the illegal steroid products they distributed were actually legal dietary supplements, Shinerock said in court papers. His choice to recruit "naïve" associates helped him wield greater bargaining power with them and increase his profits by paying them less than what their potential criminal exposure might warrant, according to Shinerock.
From federal court records, here are the outcomes of the criminal cases against the other steroid defendants:
Derek Strassle, 33, of Endicott, was sentenced in July to three years on probation for guilty plea to drug conspiracy and money laundering.
Paul Boylan, 32, of Endicott, was sentenced in February to one year in prison for plea to conspiracy with intent to distribute and to distribute a controlled substance, international money laundering conspiracy.
Jeremiah O'Brien, 33, of Binghamton, was sentenced in February to three years of probation for conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids.
Richard Progovitz, 38, of Owego, was sentenced in June to two years in prison for guilty plea to a felony count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Caleb Doane, 31, from California, was sentenced to six months in prison for drug and money laundering counts and given October 2017 self-surrender date.
Kent Fletcher, 48, from Georgia, was sentenced in July to 15 months in prison. A notice of appeal for the sentence has been filed.
Kyle Clark, 31, from Texas, was sentenced in May to time served, plus three years of supervised release.
Michael Gisondi, 50, from New Jersey, was sentenced in March to three years of probation.
Jason Garcia, 22, from Georgia, was sentenced in March to one year in prison.
The defense for Root, in court records ahead of his sentencing, outlined a "somewhat complex" road that started with him working in the Binghamton area health field and then, running a steroid distribution operation.
Root previously volunteered at Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton, according to his defense lawyer Paul Battisti, and was later hired as a patient care assistant. Battisti said he eventually found himself mired in substance abuse problems.
In spite of that, the defense said, Root managed to open his own business as a protein supplement supplier. At some point, Battisti said, he "helped out a few friends with steroids."
Pitching for leniency at Root's sentencing, Battisti stated, "It is questionable whether lengthy incarceration could provide greater deterrence than the very real lessons Ryan has learned from this unfortunate incident."
Less than one hour before sunrise on Sept. 23, 2015, quickly-executed state and federal police raids around Broome County and in other states formed the climax of a months-long investigation into underground steroid labs.
Ten men — four from the Endicott, Binghamton and Port Crane areas — faced indictments in federal court for conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids and international money laundering charges that could have carried up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Nearly two years after the raids, all of the defendants have been sentenced, but few drew lengthy penalties behind bars.
BUSTED: Steroid ring spanned 5 states, based in Broome
The stiffest penalty, 78 months in prison, was reserved for the conspiracy's leader: Ryan Root, 39, who was sentenced Aug. 4 in U.S. District Court. Some co-conspirators charged in the case received lesser prison terms, according to court records, while others were handed probation or time served. Sentences are determined by judges and based on various factors including a defendant's criminal record and his or her level of participation in the illegal activity.
Court documents tied to the steroid case, filed in advance of 10 sentencings, reveal more about how the conspiracy unfolded.
Records show how some defendants with interests in bodybuilding joined into an operation that involved money transfers to China in exchange for steroid shipments distributed around Broome County and elsewhere, and how a few co-conspirators were seemingly clueless about key specifics of their undertaking.
The investigation that ended with indictments unsealed Sept. 23 against Root and the other defendants was part of a nationwide crackdown by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
"Using steroids or any synthetically derived controlled substance without regulation is like playing Russian roulette," DEA Special Agent in Charge James Hunt said after Root's guilty plea in November. "Root used his drug trafficking to distribute unregulated anabolic steroids, putting other people's lives at risk."
The U.S. Attorney's Office said the 10 defendants obtained more than 60,000 units of steroids from China and wired funds for steroids to "counterparties" there.
At first glance, the enterprise Root was involved with sounded legitimate, according to a court filing by Lee Kindlon, defense lawyer for co-defendant Kent Fletcher.
Kindlon said Fletcher's mounting medical bills forced him to turn to lower-cost options online and that led to Root's "snake oil."
Eventually, Fletcher got into the manufacture of the very product he was ingesting.
But his role in the conspiracy was minor, Kindlon argued, saying he tried his best to "leave it behind" when the nature of the criminal activity became more apparent. Fletcher was accountable for $1,246 in money transfers to China for steroids, court papers said, noting that was less than one percent of the total amount involved in the conspiracy.
On July 17, Fletcher was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for his role. A notice of appeal for his prison term has been filed.
Another co-defendant, Michael Gisondi, became involved after Root hired him to fix one of his computers, court papers said. Later, Root asked if he wanted to process internet orders for his vitamin supplement business and create a website.
Between April 27 and Sept. 15 in 2015, Gisondi received what he thought were internet orders and handed the roughly 10 parcels to Root. Those parcels turned out to be money from drug sales, according to Gisondi's defense lawyer John Dell'Italia.
Gisondi's mail box was also used by several co-defendants, some of them doing so without Gisondi's knowledge, in order for Root to receive his drug sale proceeds, according to court papers. Two packages that Gisondi did not order himself came from China for the purpose of making anabolic steroids.
Court papers said two defendants, Jeremiah O'Brien and Richard Progovitz, both friends, used the mail to shuffle raw materials for steroids from suppliers to manufacturers involved in the conspriacy.
Dell'Italia said Gisondi, who was sentenced in March to three years on federal probation, bore an "innocent, shameful" role in the conspiracy. Gisondi, his lawyer said, "does not use drugs, order drugs, deliver drugs, send drug money or manufacture drugs."
Although drug trafficking is a very serious offense, Dell'Italia said in court papers, after reviewing this entire case, what appears more serious is the ease with which a person can own and operate a website that sells anabolic steroids.
Since Congress declared anabolic steroids illegal in 1990, law enforcement officials have targeted its production and distribution. But those efforts have not diminished the demand for this performance-enhancing substance, said Rick Collins, a Long Island-based attorney with over 20 years of experience in defending cases involving steroids nationwide, when interviewed by the Press & Sun-Bulletin in September 2015.
Non-medical use of steroids has been around since the 1950s and 60s, Collins said at the time, and the steroid black market is an example of how illegal markets adapt to interdiction efforts by the government.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Solomon Shinerock, who prosecuted the 2015 steroid case, most of the defendants saw working with Root as a way to supplement otherwise lawful ways of supporting themselves and their families.
Root told one co-defendant the illegal steroid products they distributed were actually legal dietary supplements, Shinerock said in court papers. His choice to recruit "naïve" associates helped him wield greater bargaining power with them and increase his profits by paying them less than what their potential criminal exposure might warrant, according to Shinerock.
From federal court records, here are the outcomes of the criminal cases against the other steroid defendants:
Derek Strassle, 33, of Endicott, was sentenced in July to three years on probation for guilty plea to drug conspiracy and money laundering.
Paul Boylan, 32, of Endicott, was sentenced in February to one year in prison for plea to conspiracy with intent to distribute and to distribute a controlled substance, international money laundering conspiracy.
Jeremiah O'Brien, 33, of Binghamton, was sentenced in February to three years of probation for conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids.
Richard Progovitz, 38, of Owego, was sentenced in June to two years in prison for guilty plea to a felony count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Caleb Doane, 31, from California, was sentenced to six months in prison for drug and money laundering counts and given October 2017 self-surrender date.
Kent Fletcher, 48, from Georgia, was sentenced in July to 15 months in prison. A notice of appeal for the sentence has been filed.
Kyle Clark, 31, from Texas, was sentenced in May to time served, plus three years of supervised release.
Michael Gisondi, 50, from New Jersey, was sentenced in March to three years of probation.
Jason Garcia, 22, from Georgia, was sentenced in March to one year in prison.
The defense for Root, in court records ahead of his sentencing, outlined a "somewhat complex" road that started with him working in the Binghamton area health field and then, running a steroid distribution operation.
Root previously volunteered at Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton, according to his defense lawyer Paul Battisti, and was later hired as a patient care assistant. Battisti said he eventually found himself mired in substance abuse problems.
In spite of that, the defense said, Root managed to open his own business as a protein supplement supplier. At some point, Battisti said, he "helped out a few friends with steroids."
Pitching for leniency at Root's sentencing, Battisti stated, "It is questionable whether lengthy incarceration could provide greater deterrence than the very real lessons Ryan has learned from this unfortunate incident."
