Following a 17-month investigation deemed “Operation Gym Candy,” authorities allege the individuals shipped hundreds of thousands of pills out of five Northeastern Pennsylvania counties, and also ran a ring that sold illegal prescription drugs.
Three of the individuals charged, Brian Laubach of Berwick, Richard Piccarreta of Bloomsburg and Paul Dougal of Plymouth, allegedly imported raw materials from China that they manufactured in their homes by stuffing anabolic steroids into caplets or cooking the raw materials to fill vials so the drugs could be injected, authorities said. Keith Kilgus of Danville allegedly worked for both rings by picking up the packages that came in from China and delivering the materials to the three suppliers, as well as shipping packages for both rings.
Sheree Senausky of Trucksville allegedly operated a prescription drug ring involving Dougal and one other of the anabolic steroids ring suspects, Nick Baloga of Scranton.
"Anabolic steroids can cause deadly side effects, and are as much of a public health risk as heroin or other narcotics, especially when users 'stack' them," Attorney General Kathleen Kane said. "This illegal manufacturing has been shut down and will no longer be able to supply dangerous drugs that can do great harm to people's long-term health."
Kane said the ring operated out of Luzerne, Lackawanna, Montour, Northumberland and Columbia counties and shipped to dozens of states including Hawaii.
The criminal charges state that most of Brian Laubach's alleged sales were online and he shipped up to 300 packages for profits of roughly $16,000 a week. A search warrant at Laubach's residence yielded more than 90,000 anabolic steroids pills, 2,800 vials, gallons of unpackaged manufactured liquid anabolic steroids, kilos of raw anabolic steroids and $445,000 cash. Laubach allegedly hid the proceeds in the name of his brother, Marc Laubach, who was also charged Wednesday.
Materials to manufacture anabolic steroids were seized at Dougal's residence, along with more than 10,000 pills and 112 vials. The estimated street value of all of the seized evidence associated with the two anabolic steroids rings is more than $500,000.
Sheree Senausky allegedly diverted a minimum of 400 pills a week from her employer that were mostly Vicodin or a combination of Vicodin, OxyContin and Percocet, that she sold for $1,300 a week in profits, according to authorities. One of her alleged customers was Dougal, who sold the pills to Baloga, according to the criminal complaint.
Investigators said members of the anabolic steroids rings used the drugs for their own personal use, and believe some took prescription drugs to alleviate pain associated with excessive exercise and weight lifting.
The investigation, dubbed "Operation Gym Candy," began in April 2013.
Of the 13 charged, five are current or former probation or correction officers: Marc Laubach (Columbia County probation officer); Richard Piccarreta (former Montour County Prison officer); Nick Baloga (Lackawanna Prison guard); John Taffera (Luzerne County Correctional Facility guard); and Pete Fischer (Luzerne County Correctional Facility guard).
"It is particularly troubling that five of the people who participated in these rings have been entrusted by our citizens with overseeing parolees or guarding prisoners," said Kane. "They worked every day with individuals who are paying the price for breaking the law. It is shameful that they decided to break the law themselves."
