Wow.
MESO-Rx
Anabolic Steroids
The GoldLine Busted
- Thread starter kodine
- Start date
tauras66
Well-known Member
Is that the ex-wife or the boyfriend in that pic??? Good God...
Of course not. Bitcoin is one of the best government surveillance and tracking tools available with every single transaction permanently recorded in a public ledger.
Blockchain analysis has proven to be very effective.
MESO posted this sticky as a warning over 5 years ago:
Bitcoin As A Government Surveillance And Tracking Tool
Federal prosecutors seem to be asserting that the mere mixing of Bitcoin for privacy purposes (or "obscuring virtual currency transactions") is a crime in a recent case although I find it hard to believe that this will hold up:
"This indictment underscores that seeking to obscure virtual currency transactions in this way is a crime, and that the Department can and will ensure that such crime doesn’t pay," according to Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
Grams Helix - Bitcoin's Most Popular Mixing Service Has Closed
If Goldline converted it to Monero (XMR), he could have likely thwarted blockchain analysis.
Goldline was also using the Hong Kong-based exchange "Coincola". He could have conceivably converted bitcoin to another cryptocurrency. And since Coincola apparently doesn't respond to U.S. law enforcement requests for customer data, Goldline could have broken the trail this way.
Test_Subject
Member
You have to be shitting me...
I've been running around the last week but I've been able to keep up with the happenings of my old friend D-RED(Esser). We go back a ways.....he of course banned me from HU after I posted my usual bit of history concerning D-RED in the Community.
There are so many who were fans of D-REDS. I can't blame them, I suppose. He owned a board years ago...I have the name of the board someplace. I jotted it down because its one of the things my memory just has a difficult time retaining. I believe the initials were "IJ" if I'm not mistaken?
In the hours before ownership of the board was transferred from D-RED he ran through the private messages of members and sources and stole Moneypaks and changed the Receivers info on Western Union and Moneygram transfers. It is agreed upon by members that D-RED was to blame for the heists.
The only denial that I remember him talking about was that he didn't live in the area that the WU and MG transfers were picked up.
Back then you could pick up amounts up to $1,000 using the Test Q&A and waiving ID for cash pickup. The maximum amount of cash allowed to be sent and picked up without ID today is $250.
D-RED recruited me here at meso and gave me Vet or VIP status just after he was named to take over Admin duties at Muscle&Science believing that I had decided to leave the past in the past.
He used the board to line his pockets. He named Gh0st as his right hand man. We started with 0 sources and began vetting sources to serve M&S.
I was banned by D-RED after posting about the scams 2 of his new fav sources had perpetrated on members of other boards.
D-RED was known for using multiple user accounts on his boards as well as other boards to counter negative posts about him. The last one I remember is Griff over at anabolicboard.
My handle at ab is geogroup. Staff retired my bb69 handle for security reasons. I posted there about D-REDS past. There are others who remember the old days. We were met with posts from Griff and a couple of other members who were also believed to be D-RED.
A few years ago Gh0st was feuding with his former boss and posted openly that "Griff" was in fact D-RED.
D-RED was shit canned and banned at M&S along with Ghost and Admin duties were taken over by Achilles who has done a great job restoring integrity to that board. I was shocked when I was told who owned that board and who gave D-RED the reigns there.
There aren't many I am concerned about in this Community as far as their Reach is concerned...but the owner of M&S is one of the people I would lose sleep over. I have plenty to say about him as well but I will not post openly about him.
D-RED went on to be the owner of H-U(hardcore-underground). If any of you are familiar with the "Member Classifieds" forums on other boards you should be aware of how they are usually run?
This type of forum is usually(not always, but usually) in the VIP or private sections of forums. Regular members don't usually have access to the classifieds or the Source Sections of some boards.
The classifieds are for members who have an extra vial or 2 to get rid of. They will offer the vials up for sale or trade. Its usually in the rules that the classifieds are not to be used for sourcing....especially if there are paid sources on that board as the classifieds don't charge a fee for members to buy or sell. Its there as a courtesy.
Haven't been over in quite some time but D-RED had the entire first page of the Classifieds on lock. He had every sticky referring to whatever he was pushing. Every thread on Page 1 was D-RED selling something.
I do recall one thread on page 1 was dedicated to his hunt for Adderall.
Now, I don't know how many of you remember when Dred started selling gear? He routinely took gear from the sources already paying board fees. He took gear for prime placement in the source section....generally the first 5 spots are considered "Prime Real Estate". After that, labs are forgotten. To get those spots D took gear. Sources are more than happy to pay with gear. They figure its like free advertising. Their product is getting out there. $500 cash or $500 using wholesale pricing is a huge difference.
D-RED also had no shame when it came to pressing paid sources to ante up for raffles to support the board. Servers fees and other costs to keep the lights on were everyone's responsibility and he kept the raffles for HU part of the routine there.
What the paid sources didn't know was that D was taking all that gear that he was collecting and relabeling it for sale in HIS classifieds. He had no problem reminding you all that it was after all, his board.
Why would he test the raws for the gear he was selling? He had it on good authority that sources on his board routinely tested their raws..he was covered. Not that he gave a shit about anyone but himself. I'm telling you, he was is a real piece of shit. Never one to accept any amount of responsibility, the gear that didn't test well was certainly blamed on whomever he extorted it from...I'm sure of it.
Now, I was puzzled when the story first broke. I'm from the Northeast. I've known D-Reds real ID...he knows mine. My mother lives in Rhode Island. I'm spending the second half of July and the entire month of August in
Misquamicut, RI. A block from the beach and The Atlantic Ocean. Its a much more forgiving Ocean than is going here.
That's what my Summers are looking like. Hadn't been to the Beach back home in 12 years. Travel restrictions have been lifted.
Sorry...off track.
I was confused as to what I was reading and then hearing and seeing on the news clips. The 4 who had been arrested were already back on the street?
Anyone unfortunate enough to have been through the Federal System know that the swiftness in which the 3 were released on $10k unsecured bond each as the #2 #3 and #4 of the Conspiracy isn't what is usually seen?
Things started to come into focus when I saw that D-red wasn't more than a few hours behind his friends even as the Leader/#1 in the Conspiracy. And what's more with a mere $50k unsecured Bond? It was as if they had rehearsed how the day would go all the way down to having his GPS Bracelet waiting for him?
The bracelet and all that pretrial stuff is handled by 2 other Monstrosities....the USPO and Probation and Pre Trial Services we can group into 1 and the USMS(US Marshal Service is the other).
The US Attorney isn't under obligation to push for Pre Trial release as we saw happen here when everyone was back on the street before dinner. Un fucking real.
I was considered a Flight Risk for no other reason than to make me uncomfortable. I was never granted pretrial release....and if I had been....an unsecured Bond is a pipe dream.
The Gov't under normal circumstances wants property to be put up for bond....and a lot of it.
The whole thing...the news reports....the 4 on the street....this is a Federal Drug Conspiracy and Money Laundering case...on top of several other charges????
Member @bigsonbitch ...yours was a state case, correct? Different ball game. Nothing like you had going on. On the state level I would expect the outcome you had. You paid for peace of mind with your attorney. You could've expected the same result with a Public Defender.
I'm not downplaying what you went through or trying to insult you etc.
D-RED is Dirty. The feds have been into him for years. Trust me when I tell you that there was a minimum of info released here.
The judge was quoted saying "We don't know anything" or much about Esser or his operation. Feigning ignorance? The Feds know exactly what he has as far as property and cash. I don't believe he has any bitcoin hidden. If he had them over a barrel they would sit his ass in Federal Holding sweating him to give the info up if he wants them to play ball. And by "Play Ball" I mean grant him Pre Trial release for 1.
The #1 thing on the mind of anyone plucked off the street and out of their comfort zone is to get right the fuck back there. The feds don't grant Pre trial....and as fast as it happened here unless things were pre arranged. I'm telling you. He is well known to the feds.
Its something to think about when BOP is mentioned....or put on blast but no mention of HU...the board he owns and had administrator control over. That's another ginormous conspiracy right there.
I wouldn't be to worried being a customer of Goldline...I would possibly be in hiding if I was a paying sponsor/source on Hardcore-Underground....wouldn't you?
There is so much that is wrong about this fucking situation. Its fitting for the piece of shit that D-Red is, though. Honestly, I wouldn't expect much less. He's been working with the feds for some time. He may have just stepped over the line that was drawn in the sand?
He may have lied and kept something from his handlers.
Over here in the Desert there's only weird shit going on.
The kid that told his local PD handler where I was living while being wanted on a Federal arrest warrant for violating terms of my Supervised Release is weird.
The US Marshals picked me up less than 24hrs after I had contact with him...this after being on the run for more than 2 years and having the Marshals harassing friends and family of mine every month during those 2 years.
About 4 years ago now, the kid had a search warrant served on his apartment. The Fruits of the search not only consisted of several ounces of methamphetamine, a ledger that held every sale he had made over the past several months....but also an AK-47 with several hundred rounds of ammunition that he claimed was for his protection. I will say he was being truthful. He had been robbed several times.
Neighbors reported to me that after the warrant was served and several bags of evidence removed, a couple of detectives remained inside for some time. Possibly interviewing the suspect.
A funny thing happened. After a time the detectives packed up and left without the person who lived at the address that was searched?
The ounces of speed were gone. Triple beam and digital scale..gone. AK-47 and ammo...absent from the apartment.
When my wife and I stopped to see him a couple of days later the kid was about halfway done packing his belongings...he was moving across town. His landlord was a friend of a family member and the incident was enough to end the arrangement.
When my wife asked the frightened young man how it was he wasn't at the very least taken into temporary custody(he is homosexual and my wife has a more calming presence that I), he replied that he was of the belief that he had evoked an understanding and a level of sympathy I found hard to grasp?
Gay men have, albeit often times warped, very close/special relationships with their mothers and especially their dogs.
Ivan had, earlier that week, put his beloved friend, Elle, down after long suffering some kind of painful stomach condition. Ivan felt he had connected with the plain clothes veteran narcotic detective on some level and he had decided to do a sort of Remote from his home prosecution rather than taking him into custody as Ivan was still recovering from the loss of Elle. Prison is no place to mourn and reflect on the good times.
Anyway...there is so much more to be said here concerning this well known member of the Community.
Next post I will take a look at the Federal Sentencing Guidelines and how they will pertain to the "BOP 4".
A quick glance at what my next post will discuss.........
"They may be granted downward departures from the Sentencing Guidelines as having lesser or "Minor Roles" in the Conspiracy. D-Red, conversely, will in all likelihood, be enhanced with by adding 2 levels to his base offense level as Leader of the Conspiracy."
There you have it...see you soon!
There are so many who were fans of D-REDS. I can't blame them, I suppose. He owned a board years ago...I have the name of the board someplace. I jotted it down because its one of the things my memory just has a difficult time retaining. I believe the initials were "IJ" if I'm not mistaken?
In the hours before ownership of the board was transferred from D-RED he ran through the private messages of members and sources and stole Moneypaks and changed the Receivers info on Western Union and Moneygram transfers. It is agreed upon by members that D-RED was to blame for the heists.
The only denial that I remember him talking about was that he didn't live in the area that the WU and MG transfers were picked up.
Back then you could pick up amounts up to $1,000 using the Test Q&A and waiving ID for cash pickup. The maximum amount of cash allowed to be sent and picked up without ID today is $250.
D-RED recruited me here at meso and gave me Vet or VIP status just after he was named to take over Admin duties at Muscle&Science believing that I had decided to leave the past in the past.
He used the board to line his pockets. He named Gh0st as his right hand man. We started with 0 sources and began vetting sources to serve M&S.
I was banned by D-RED after posting about the scams 2 of his new fav sources had perpetrated on members of other boards.
D-RED was known for using multiple user accounts on his boards as well as other boards to counter negative posts about him. The last one I remember is Griff over at anabolicboard.
My handle at ab is geogroup. Staff retired my bb69 handle for security reasons. I posted there about D-REDS past. There are others who remember the old days. We were met with posts from Griff and a couple of other members who were also believed to be D-RED.
A few years ago Gh0st was feuding with his former boss and posted openly that "Griff" was in fact D-RED.
D-RED was shit canned and banned at M&S along with Ghost and Admin duties were taken over by Achilles who has done a great job restoring integrity to that board. I was shocked when I was told who owned that board and who gave D-RED the reigns there.
There aren't many I am concerned about in this Community as far as their Reach is concerned...but the owner of M&S is one of the people I would lose sleep over. I have plenty to say about him as well but I will not post openly about him.
D-RED went on to be the owner of H-U(hardcore-underground). If any of you are familiar with the "Member Classifieds" forums on other boards you should be aware of how they are usually run?
This type of forum is usually(not always, but usually) in the VIP or private sections of forums. Regular members don't usually have access to the classifieds or the Source Sections of some boards.
The classifieds are for members who have an extra vial or 2 to get rid of. They will offer the vials up for sale or trade. Its usually in the rules that the classifieds are not to be used for sourcing....especially if there are paid sources on that board as the classifieds don't charge a fee for members to buy or sell. Its there as a courtesy.
Haven't been over in quite some time but D-RED had the entire first page of the Classifieds on lock. He had every sticky referring to whatever he was pushing. Every thread on Page 1 was D-RED selling something.
I do recall one thread on page 1 was dedicated to his hunt for Adderall.
Now, I don't know how many of you remember when Dred started selling gear? He routinely took gear from the sources already paying board fees. He took gear for prime placement in the source section....generally the first 5 spots are considered "Prime Real Estate". After that, labs are forgotten. To get those spots D took gear. Sources are more than happy to pay with gear. They figure its like free advertising. Their product is getting out there. $500 cash or $500 using wholesale pricing is a huge difference.
D-RED also had no shame when it came to pressing paid sources to ante up for raffles to support the board. Servers fees and other costs to keep the lights on were everyone's responsibility and he kept the raffles for HU part of the routine there.
What the paid sources didn't know was that D was taking all that gear that he was collecting and relabeling it for sale in HIS classifieds. He had no problem reminding you all that it was after all, his board.
Why would he test the raws for the gear he was selling? He had it on good authority that sources on his board routinely tested their raws..he was covered. Not that he gave a shit about anyone but himself. I'm telling you, he was is a real piece of shit. Never one to accept any amount of responsibility, the gear that didn't test well was certainly blamed on whomever he extorted it from...I'm sure of it.
Now, I was puzzled when the story first broke. I'm from the Northeast. I've known D-Reds real ID...he knows mine. My mother lives in Rhode Island. I'm spending the second half of July and the entire month of August in
Misquamicut, RI. A block from the beach and The Atlantic Ocean. Its a much more forgiving Ocean than is going here.
That's what my Summers are looking like. Hadn't been to the Beach back home in 12 years. Travel restrictions have been lifted.
Sorry...off track.
I was confused as to what I was reading and then hearing and seeing on the news clips. The 4 who had been arrested were already back on the street?
Anyone unfortunate enough to have been through the Federal System know that the swiftness in which the 3 were released on $10k unsecured bond each as the #2 #3 and #4 of the Conspiracy isn't what is usually seen?
Things started to come into focus when I saw that D-red wasn't more than a few hours behind his friends even as the Leader/#1 in the Conspiracy. And what's more with a mere $50k unsecured Bond? It was as if they had rehearsed how the day would go all the way down to having his GPS Bracelet waiting for him?
The bracelet and all that pretrial stuff is handled by 2 other Monstrosities....the USPO and Probation and Pre Trial Services we can group into 1 and the USMS(US Marshal Service is the other).
The US Attorney isn't under obligation to push for Pre Trial release as we saw happen here when everyone was back on the street before dinner. Un fucking real.
I was considered a Flight Risk for no other reason than to make me uncomfortable. I was never granted pretrial release....and if I had been....an unsecured Bond is a pipe dream.
The Gov't under normal circumstances wants property to be put up for bond....and a lot of it.
The whole thing...the news reports....the 4 on the street....this is a Federal Drug Conspiracy and Money Laundering case...on top of several other charges????
Member @bigsonbitch ...yours was a state case, correct? Different ball game. Nothing like you had going on. On the state level I would expect the outcome you had. You paid for peace of mind with your attorney. You could've expected the same result with a Public Defender.
I'm not downplaying what you went through or trying to insult you etc.
D-RED is Dirty. The feds have been into him for years. Trust me when I tell you that there was a minimum of info released here.
The judge was quoted saying "We don't know anything" or much about Esser or his operation. Feigning ignorance? The Feds know exactly what he has as far as property and cash. I don't believe he has any bitcoin hidden. If he had them over a barrel they would sit his ass in Federal Holding sweating him to give the info up if he wants them to play ball. And by "Play Ball" I mean grant him Pre Trial release for 1.
The #1 thing on the mind of anyone plucked off the street and out of their comfort zone is to get right the fuck back there. The feds don't grant Pre trial....and as fast as it happened here unless things were pre arranged. I'm telling you. He is well known to the feds.
Its something to think about when BOP is mentioned....or put on blast but no mention of HU...the board he owns and had administrator control over. That's another ginormous conspiracy right there.
I wouldn't be to worried being a customer of Goldline...I would possibly be in hiding if I was a paying sponsor/source on Hardcore-Underground....wouldn't you?
There is so much that is wrong about this fucking situation. Its fitting for the piece of shit that D-Red is, though. Honestly, I wouldn't expect much less. He's been working with the feds for some time. He may have just stepped over the line that was drawn in the sand?
He may have lied and kept something from his handlers.
Over here in the Desert there's only weird shit going on.
The kid that told his local PD handler where I was living while being wanted on a Federal arrest warrant for violating terms of my Supervised Release is weird.
The US Marshals picked me up less than 24hrs after I had contact with him...this after being on the run for more than 2 years and having the Marshals harassing friends and family of mine every month during those 2 years.
About 4 years ago now, the kid had a search warrant served on his apartment. The Fruits of the search not only consisted of several ounces of methamphetamine, a ledger that held every sale he had made over the past several months....but also an AK-47 with several hundred rounds of ammunition that he claimed was for his protection. I will say he was being truthful. He had been robbed several times.
Neighbors reported to me that after the warrant was served and several bags of evidence removed, a couple of detectives remained inside for some time. Possibly interviewing the suspect.
A funny thing happened. After a time the detectives packed up and left without the person who lived at the address that was searched?
The ounces of speed were gone. Triple beam and digital scale..gone. AK-47 and ammo...absent from the apartment.
When my wife and I stopped to see him a couple of days later the kid was about halfway done packing his belongings...he was moving across town. His landlord was a friend of a family member and the incident was enough to end the arrangement.
When my wife asked the frightened young man how it was he wasn't at the very least taken into temporary custody(he is homosexual and my wife has a more calming presence that I), he replied that he was of the belief that he had evoked an understanding and a level of sympathy I found hard to grasp?
Gay men have, albeit often times warped, very close/special relationships with their mothers and especially their dogs.
Ivan had, earlier that week, put his beloved friend, Elle, down after long suffering some kind of painful stomach condition. Ivan felt he had connected with the plain clothes veteran narcotic detective on some level and he had decided to do a sort of Remote from his home prosecution rather than taking him into custody as Ivan was still recovering from the loss of Elle. Prison is no place to mourn and reflect on the good times.
Anyway...there is so much more to be said here concerning this well known member of the Community.
Next post I will take a look at the Federal Sentencing Guidelines and how they will pertain to the "BOP 4".
A quick glance at what my next post will discuss.........
"They may be granted downward departures from the Sentencing Guidelines as having lesser or "Minor Roles" in the Conspiracy. D-Red, conversely, will in all likelihood, be enhanced with by adding 2 levels to his base offense level as Leader of the Conspiracy."
There you have it...see you soon!
Last edited:
EBAY and home based businesses are the best thing that ever happened to mail order drug dealers. They provide a wonderful level of cover that comes about with a roll of "Ebay" business stickers and a smile.
TANGO.ECHO.KILO
Member
Good lookin as always...respect.
bigsonbitch
New Member
great read as much respect.
Yea mine was state...I got one of the best attorneys as I didn’t want to take a chance...I know it was possible to get the same outcome with a Public defender, but didn’t want to chance that. Also I didn’t take that as an insult whatsoever - a few told me I could have gotten the same result with a PD
I didn’t want to chance it and if i has to redo it again knowing what I know now I’d still hire a lawyer. Like you said...peace of mind
Night_Owl
Well-known Member
@bigsonbitch I owe a lot to a certain public defender, these guys are really underrated. They fight hard for you. But I do understand your logic, if your future is on the line, you don't want to take a chance.
.... PD ********* I know you will never read this, but thank you again.
.... PD ********* I know you will never read this, but thank you again.
bigsonbitch
New Member
Yea I know a lot of these hot shot attorneys play golf every Sunday and get drunk with the judges and prosecutors. That’s what I went with...didn’t want to take chances. It was my first and only offense. never even had a traffic ticket.
Was wanted as a informant to lessen my sentence to which I basically told them to fuck off. Turns out they tried to scare me into being one as I got off with 18 months
Besides who would I bring down? Local guys at the gym? They wanted me to ask around. Rats in my eyes should be skinned.
Night_Owl
Well-known Member
Good for you man, did you serve all 18 or got off early?
And yeah that was my experience too, in court the attorneys, judges and prosecutors are all joking around and fucking off with each other. Best to be on that team.
bigsonbitch
New Member
exactly what happened in the court room - it was actually a relief for me to see them smiling at each other and joking around...asking about each other’s families etc
I got 18 months probation - no time served so I got off pretty good. License wasn’t suspended - There was no restriction on travel inside the 3 closest counties - but needed permission to travel outside the state and no restriction on alcohol
Only weed and the others which I didn’t do anyway
Got myself script trt and script clonipin so they couldn’t do anything when I was randomly tested.
tauras66
Well-known Member
Was it a DUI stop that led the police to find those vials??? I just ask Cause you mentioned a few times you didn't lose your license and from what I read you only mentioned the vials so I was just wondering why possession of those vials would jeopardize your drivers license. I apologize if I missed or missread something...thanks
bigsonbitch
New Member
I explained it all earlier in this thread. Should be a few pages back or so
tauras66
Well-known Member
9
Yep...I read all you post and still don't know why you keep mentioning you got to keep your licence, why wouldn't you??? You were arrested for possession of steroids. No reason to not keep you licence. I thougt I might of missed a DUI charge or something.
tauras66
Well-known Member
Couldn't agree more. Depending on your county , they have some PDs that will fight for you. They joke and laugh and do all that same shit with the Judges and DAs if not more , as there all in the same building everyday and most times always in front of the same judge. There are the horror stories too but in my cases I've ALWAYS gotten the lesser of the 2 evils.
bigsonbitch
New Member
in most cases from what I know and people who have been arrested on probation - they lose their privledge to drive - regardless of the crime.
That’s why I mentioned it.
Maybe in other states it’s different
Here is the official government press release:
Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
District of Rhode Island
--
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Four Charged in Conspiracy to Import and Distribute Steroids, Launder Proceeds
PROVIDENCE – Four individuals have been arrested, four locations searched, and several motor vehicles and bank accounts seized today during a series of early morning law enforcement actions in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, as part of an on-going multi-agency investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) into the illegal importation, preparation, rebranding, and distribution of steroids throughout the United States, and the laundering of proceeds from the sale of the illegal drugs.
It is alleged in court documents that the leader of the conspiracy, David M. Esser, 46, of North Attleboro, arranged for the importation of large quantities of raw steroids from international suppliers, primarily based in Hong Kong. A significant number of orders placed by Esser for raw steroids were for multiple kilograms of product.
According to court documents, it is alleged that Esser arranged to have the raw steroids shipped directly to locations within the United States where, at his direction, individuals “cooked” the raw steroid product into liquid form, packaged the liquid in plastic vials, and shipped the finished products to a stash house he operated in North Attleboro. Esser provided the middle-men with the supplies required for the preparation and packaging of the steroids. Shipments to the middle-men also included cash payments to them for performing these tasks.
It is alleged that after the packaged steroids arrived at Esser’s stash house, Esser, and others working at his direction, prepared customers’ orders for steroids. Members of the conspiracy shipped the packages to customers throughout the United States, utilizing several U.S. Post Offices, including Providence’s main post office from which a significant number of packages were mailed.
It is alleged that in an effort to disguise the proceeds from the illegal sales of steroids, members of the conspiracy often times moved the proceeds from bank account to bank account, and used some of the proceeds to purchase, among other things, raw steroid products, steroid trafficking supplies, vehicles, and properties.
Proceeds from some sales of steroids were paid to the members of the conspiracy in cash. Other payments were made by cryptocurrency.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Molina, North Attleboro Police Chief John J. Reilly, and Mansfield Police Chief Ronald Sellon announce the arrest of David M. Esser, 46, James McLaughlin, 34, and Alison Esser, aka Alison Shephard, 41, of North Attleboro, and Mason A. Nieves, 27, of Providence, on federal criminal complaints charging them with intent to distribute Schedule III and IV Controlled Substances; conspiracy to distribute, possess with intent to distribute and conspiracy to import Schedule III and IV Controlled Substances; manufacturing and distributing Schedule III and IV Controlled Substances; importation of Controlled Substances into the United States; trafficking in counterfeit goods and services; smuggling goods into the United States; as well as wire fraud and money laundering.
The defendants were arraigned in U.S. District Court and released on unsecured bond.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gerard B. Sullivan.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Molina acknowledge and thank the United States Postal Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, Alamance County North Carolina Narcotics Enforcement Team, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Internal Revenue Service, and HSI Special Agents in the Houston and Winston-Salem Field Offices for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.
###
Topic(s):
Drug Trafficking
Financial Fraud
Component(s):
USAO - Rhode Island
Contact:
Jim Martin (40) 709-5357
Press Release Number:
20-31
Source: Four Charged in Conspiracy to Import and Distribute Steroids, Launder Proceeds
Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
District of Rhode Island
--
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Four Charged in Conspiracy to Import and Distribute Steroids, Launder Proceeds
PROVIDENCE – Four individuals have been arrested, four locations searched, and several motor vehicles and bank accounts seized today during a series of early morning law enforcement actions in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, as part of an on-going multi-agency investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) into the illegal importation, preparation, rebranding, and distribution of steroids throughout the United States, and the laundering of proceeds from the sale of the illegal drugs.
It is alleged in court documents that the leader of the conspiracy, David M. Esser, 46, of North Attleboro, arranged for the importation of large quantities of raw steroids from international suppliers, primarily based in Hong Kong. A significant number of orders placed by Esser for raw steroids were for multiple kilograms of product.
According to court documents, it is alleged that Esser arranged to have the raw steroids shipped directly to locations within the United States where, at his direction, individuals “cooked” the raw steroid product into liquid form, packaged the liquid in plastic vials, and shipped the finished products to a stash house he operated in North Attleboro. Esser provided the middle-men with the supplies required for the preparation and packaging of the steroids. Shipments to the middle-men also included cash payments to them for performing these tasks.
It is alleged that after the packaged steroids arrived at Esser’s stash house, Esser, and others working at his direction, prepared customers’ orders for steroids. Members of the conspiracy shipped the packages to customers throughout the United States, utilizing several U.S. Post Offices, including Providence’s main post office from which a significant number of packages were mailed.
It is alleged that in an effort to disguise the proceeds from the illegal sales of steroids, members of the conspiracy often times moved the proceeds from bank account to bank account, and used some of the proceeds to purchase, among other things, raw steroid products, steroid trafficking supplies, vehicles, and properties.
Proceeds from some sales of steroids were paid to the members of the conspiracy in cash. Other payments were made by cryptocurrency.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Molina, North Attleboro Police Chief John J. Reilly, and Mansfield Police Chief Ronald Sellon announce the arrest of David M. Esser, 46, James McLaughlin, 34, and Alison Esser, aka Alison Shephard, 41, of North Attleboro, and Mason A. Nieves, 27, of Providence, on federal criminal complaints charging them with intent to distribute Schedule III and IV Controlled Substances; conspiracy to distribute, possess with intent to distribute and conspiracy to import Schedule III and IV Controlled Substances; manufacturing and distributing Schedule III and IV Controlled Substances; importation of Controlled Substances into the United States; trafficking in counterfeit goods and services; smuggling goods into the United States; as well as wire fraud and money laundering.
The defendants were arraigned in U.S. District Court and released on unsecured bond.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gerard B. Sullivan.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Molina acknowledge and thank the United States Postal Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, Alamance County North Carolina Narcotics Enforcement Team, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Internal Revenue Service, and HSI Special Agents in the Houston and Winston-Salem Field Offices for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.
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Topic(s):
Drug Trafficking
Financial Fraud
Component(s):
USAO - Rhode Island
Contact:
Jim Martin (40) 709-5357
Press Release Number:
20-31
Source: Four Charged in Conspiracy to Import and Distribute Steroids, Launder Proceeds
Villain
Member
So.... is this federal or local? I’m a bit confused.
