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CONTACT: Natalya LaBauve Natalya.LaBauve@usdoj.gov |
STEROID DEALER TO MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYERS PLEADS GUILTYDefendant Admits Distributing Performance-Enhancing Drugs to "Dozens" of MLB Players and Associates SAN FRANCISCO - United States Attorney Scott N. Schools announced that Kirk J. Radomski pleaded guilty today to Distribution of a Controlled Substance (Anabolic Steroids) and Money Laundering. This guilty plea is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). In pleading guilty, Mr. Radomski admitted to distributing anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs, including Human Growth Hormone and Clenbuterol, as well as amphetamines, to dozens of current and former Major League Baseball players, and associates, on teams throughout Major League Baseball. He deposited the payments for those anabolic steroids into his personal bank account and then used the proceeds to finance his residence, which was the base of operation, warehouse, and communication center for his anabolic steroid-dealing business. During Radomski's past employment in Major League Baseball he developed contacts with Major League Baseball players throughout the country to whom he subsequently distributed anabolic steroids and athletic performance-enhancing drugs. Radomski had personal contact with some of his baseball drug clients, but consulted and conducted drug transactions with others over the telephone and through the mail. "The distribution of anabolic steroids to professional athletes cheats both the paying public and the clean athletes and is a serious crime," said United States Attorney Scott N. Schools. "This investigation shows that distribution of performance-enhancing drugs continues to be an issue for sport in America. This office is dedicated to pursuing those who benefit from such crimes." According to IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge Diane Carter, "Tracing the flow of funds was critical to establishing that Mr. Radomski laundered money from the illegal distribution of steroids. IRS-CI will continue to contribute our financial expertise to these types of investigations." Charlene B. Thornton, special agent in charge of the FBI's San Francisco office stated, "Mr Radomski's guilty plea is the result of a long-term investigation conducted in cooperation with the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division. This investigation is ongoing and we will continue to pursue every reasonable investigative lead." The investigation utilized information received from a confidential informant working with the FBI. Agents from IRS-CI and FBI conducted multiple undercover purchases of anabolic steroids from Radomski throughout 2005. A search warrant was thereafter executed at Radomski's residence on December 14, 2005, which resulted in the seizure of thousands of doses of numerous types of anabolic steroids in both pill and injectable form. Other drugs, including Human Growth Hormone, Clomiphene, Insulin Growth Factor, and Clenbuterol were seized as well. Shipping records, financial records, correspondence, and contact lists that detailed Radomski's distribution of drugs to professional baseball players were also seized pursuant to the search warrant. Immediately after the execution of the search warrant, Mr. Radomski agreed to co-operate with the government's investigation. As part of that co-operation, Mr. Radomski will be required to meet with investigators from Major League Baseball's Steroid Investigation, headed by former Senator George Mitchell. "We look forward to working together with federal law enforcement toward our shared goal of dealing effectively with illegal performance-enhancing drug use in baseball," said former Sen. Mitchell. "The guilty plea of a major dealer of performance-enhancing drugs to professional athletes increases our ability to level the playing field for all athletes," said United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Terry Madden. "We remain committed to our long-standing relationship of mutual assistance with federal law enforcement." Mr. Radomski, 37, of New York, was charged with one count of Distribution of a Controlled Substance (anabolic steroids), in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and one count of Money Laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1)(A)(I). Under the plea agreement Mr.Radomski pleaded guilty to all counts. The sentencing of Mr. Radomski is scheduled for September 7, 2007, at 11:00am before United States District Judge Susan Illston in San Francisco. The maximum statutory penalty for Count One: Distribution of a Controlled Substance (anabolic steroids), in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), is 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The maximum statutory penalty for Count Two: Money Laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1)(A)(I), is 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Matt Parrella, Jeff Nedrow, and Jeff Finigan are the Assistant U.S. Attorneys who are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Legal Assistants Brenda Hodgen and Rawaty Yim. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the IRS-CI and the FBI. The United States Attorney's Offices in the District of Maryland and the Eastern District of New York, the Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service also provided important assistance in the investigation.
Electronic court filings and further procedural and docket information are available at https://ecf.cand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. Judges' calendars with schedules for upcoming court hearings can be viewed on the court's website at www.cand.uscourts.gov. All press inquiries to the U.S. Attorney's Office should be directed to Natalya LaBauve at (415) 436-7055 or by email at Natalya.LaBauve@usdoj.gov. |