Head of steroid ring that produced drugs in Florida trailer park pleads guilty
Florida man pleads guilty to manufacturing, distributing performance enhancing drugs
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A 45-year-old St. Petersburg man has pleaded guilty to producing and selling performance-enhancing drugs made at various locations in Florida, including a "trailer park," the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
William Bagwell was the owner and operator of Freedom Pharma, which surreptitiously sold homemade anabolic steroids through email using the forum of a bodybuilding website, court documents show.
Bagwell and his co-defendants ordered the raw materials for the drugs from China, produced them in Florida and sold them to customers all around the county, investigators said.
William Bagwell was the owner and operator of Freedom Pharma, which surreptitiously sold homemade anabolic steroids through email using the forum of a bodybuilding website, court documents show.
Bagwell and his co-defendants ordered the raw materials for the drugs from China, produced them in Florida and sold them to customers all around the county, investigators said.
Florida man pleads guilty to manufacturing, distributing performance enhancing drugs
Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Northern District of West Virginia
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 11, 2016
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – William Bagwell, 45, of Petersburg, Florida pled guilty in federal court today to manufacturing and distributing performance enhancing drugs, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
Bagwell was the owner and operator of Freedom Pharma, a company that was a manufacturer and distributor of various unapproved prescription drugs to customers throughout the United States, including the Northern District of West Virginia. Freedom Pharma was not registered with the United States Food and Drug Administration as a drug manufacturer. The performance enhancing drugs were misbranded and introduced into interstate commerce.
“Distributing unapproved and misbranded prescription drugs is illegal and puts American consumers at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark McCormack of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations’ Metro Washington Field Office. “Our office is fully committed to working with the Department of Justice to assure that drugs are safe, effective, and are manufactured in FDA-registered and inspected facilities.”
Bagwell faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod J. Douglas prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The United States Food and Drug Administration investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Northern District of West Virginia
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 11, 2016
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – William Bagwell, 45, of Petersburg, Florida pled guilty in federal court today to manufacturing and distributing performance enhancing drugs, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
Bagwell was the owner and operator of Freedom Pharma, a company that was a manufacturer and distributor of various unapproved prescription drugs to customers throughout the United States, including the Northern District of West Virginia. Freedom Pharma was not registered with the United States Food and Drug Administration as a drug manufacturer. The performance enhancing drugs were misbranded and introduced into interstate commerce.
“Distributing unapproved and misbranded prescription drugs is illegal and puts American consumers at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark McCormack of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations’ Metro Washington Field Office. “Our office is fully committed to working with the Department of Justice to assure that drugs are safe, effective, and are manufactured in FDA-registered and inspected facilities.”
Bagwell faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod J. Douglas prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The United States Food and Drug Administration investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
