A Port Crane man is the first to plead guilty in a steroid distribution ring that was based in Broome County.
Richard Progovitz, 37, was among 10 defendants charged in September after raids conducted by state and federal law enforcement that targeted distribution of anabolic steroids. On Thursday, in U.S. District Court, Progovitz pleaded guilty to a federal felony count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Miroslav Lovric says Progovitz and other conspirators obtained more than 60,000 units of steroids from China and distributed them. Though the criminal charge carries a potential 10 years in federal prison upon conviction, Lovric said, various sentencing guidelines could whittle down Progovitz's term to between 30 and 37 months.
Defense lawyer Robert Gouldin said Thursday he conducted a thorough review of evidence in Progovitz's case in reaching a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office.
"I believe this is in my client's best interests at this time," he said in court.
U.S. District Court Judge Thomas McAvoy will determine the sentence in court on Aug. 23 for Progovitz, who remains released on his own recognizance.
In September, Progovitz, along with Endicott residents Paul Boylan, 31, and Derek Strassle, 32, and Binghamton resident Jeremiah O'Brien, 33, were taken into custody after state and federal law enforcement officials executed search warrants around Broome County.
Searches by investigators uncovered evidence of steroid labs, including steroids in various stages of production and packaging materials, according to court papers. Police say the criminal activities took place from January 2011 through Sept. 11, 2015.
PRESSCONNECTS
BUSTED: Steroid ring spanned 5 states, based in Broome
The U.S. Attorney's Office says six out-of-state conspirators also were charged as part of the same operation: Ryan Root, 36, Michael Gisondi, 48, both of New Jersey; Caleb Doane, 30, of Nevada; Kent Fletcher, 46, and Jason Garcia, 21, both of Georgia; and Kyle Clark, 30, of Florida, were charged under the Sept. 11 indictment.
Root , Doane, Fletcher, Strassle and Boylan also were indicted on felony counts of international money laundering, which carries a potential maximum of 20 years in prison if convicted.
Further proceedings are pending in the other defendants' cases, with tentative trial dates being planned in the event plea agreements are not reached.
Suspects are brought to federal court in Binghamton after a federal investigation involving steroids.Anthony Borrelli / Staff video
The investigation that resulted in the charges was part of a crackdown by the DEA dubbed "Operation Cyber Juice," which has targeted underground anabolic steroid lab crackdowns in 20 states.
Police say anabolic steroids are synthetically produced variants of the natural hormone testosterone and can be abused in an attempt to promote muscle growth and enhance physical performance.
"Similar to the consequences of any illegal drug, the repeated use of steroids leads to addiction, shame, embarassment, heart attacks, strokes, cancer and jail," DEA Special Agent in Charge James Hunt said in a statement.
Products found in these underground anabolic steroid labs are often obtained over the Internet from Chinese chemical manufacturing companies and other underground labs, according to the DEA.
http://www.pressconnects.com/story/...oid-bust-first-guilty-plea-expected/83283596/
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Richard Progovitz, 37, was among 10 defendants charged in September after raids conducted by state and federal law enforcement that targeted distribution of anabolic steroids. On Thursday, in U.S. District Court, Progovitz pleaded guilty to a federal felony count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Miroslav Lovric says Progovitz and other conspirators obtained more than 60,000 units of steroids from China and distributed them. Though the criminal charge carries a potential 10 years in federal prison upon conviction, Lovric said, various sentencing guidelines could whittle down Progovitz's term to between 30 and 37 months.
Defense lawyer Robert Gouldin said Thursday he conducted a thorough review of evidence in Progovitz's case in reaching a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office.
"I believe this is in my client's best interests at this time," he said in court.
U.S. District Court Judge Thomas McAvoy will determine the sentence in court on Aug. 23 for Progovitz, who remains released on his own recognizance.
In September, Progovitz, along with Endicott residents Paul Boylan, 31, and Derek Strassle, 32, and Binghamton resident Jeremiah O'Brien, 33, were taken into custody after state and federal law enforcement officials executed search warrants around Broome County.
Searches by investigators uncovered evidence of steroid labs, including steroids in various stages of production and packaging materials, according to court papers. Police say the criminal activities took place from January 2011 through Sept. 11, 2015.
PRESSCONNECTS
BUSTED: Steroid ring spanned 5 states, based in Broome
The U.S. Attorney's Office says six out-of-state conspirators also were charged as part of the same operation: Ryan Root, 36, Michael Gisondi, 48, both of New Jersey; Caleb Doane, 30, of Nevada; Kent Fletcher, 46, and Jason Garcia, 21, both of Georgia; and Kyle Clark, 30, of Florida, were charged under the Sept. 11 indictment.
Root , Doane, Fletcher, Strassle and Boylan also were indicted on felony counts of international money laundering, which carries a potential maximum of 20 years in prison if convicted.
Further proceedings are pending in the other defendants' cases, with tentative trial dates being planned in the event plea agreements are not reached.
Suspects are brought to federal court in Binghamton after a federal investigation involving steroids.Anthony Borrelli / Staff video
The investigation that resulted in the charges was part of a crackdown by the DEA dubbed "Operation Cyber Juice," which has targeted underground anabolic steroid lab crackdowns in 20 states.
Police say anabolic steroids are synthetically produced variants of the natural hormone testosterone and can be abused in an attempt to promote muscle growth and enhance physical performance.
"Similar to the consequences of any illegal drug, the repeated use of steroids leads to addiction, shame, embarassment, heart attacks, strokes, cancer and jail," DEA Special Agent in Charge James Hunt said in a statement.
Products found in these underground anabolic steroid labs are often obtained over the Internet from Chinese chemical manufacturing companies and other underground labs, according to the DEA.
http://www.pressconnects.com/story/...oid-bust-first-guilty-plea-expected/83283596/
mands
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