By Lori Fullbright, The News On 6
TULSA,
OK-- A big steroid bust leads to 10 arrest warrants. Investigators say
when they began the investigation two years ago; they vastly
underestimated how bad the problem of anabolic steroid abuse was in
Oklahoma.
Wednesday's bust doesn't involve your average drug
user. The accused are middle and upper class professionals. Some are
accused of using steroids, others of selling or giving them away and
agents say one man even ordered the raw ingredients from China to make
his own.
The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Tulsa Police have
been working the case, along with help from the Drug Enforcement
Agency, U.S. Marshals and other agencies.
Officers were directed to a job site, where they found Derrick Davis.
"Here's
what's going to happen. You'll be booked into Tulsa County and there is
a bond, so you can bond out," the arresting officer told Davis.
Documents
show Davis ordered raw anabolic steroid compounds from China in order
to make injectable steroids. They say when Davis realized his latest
shipment had been seized by U.S. Customs; he had a friend hide all his
steroid stuff at work, which police also recovered.
A
nationally recognized competitive bodybuilder from Tulsa, Trudy
Ireland-Kline was out of state and promised to surrender when she
returns.
Documents show she admitted using steroids, but said she quit because they were causing heart problems.
"The
abuses come when people flood their body with doses well beyond
anything considered therapeutic," said "Tom" with the Oklahoma Bureau
of Narcotics.
Agents say Tom Burke is a steroid dealer who
admitted using steroids for 20 years, including to prepare for the 2008
Oklahoma Open bodybuilding competition.
He's a trainer at this
Tulsa gym and records show he gave steroids to several people he
trained. Agents say steroid abusers are in denial about the effects
and side effects.
"They can see it in everyone else, but can't see the abuse in themselves," said "Tom" with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.
Brad
Stahlheber was arrested at a Muskogee hospital where he works. Agents
say he admitted buying steroids over the internet and using them for
cosmetic reasons.
Dr. Gary Lee faces charges of writing more
than 30 steroid prescriptions to a couple of competitive bodybuilders
and a power hitter on a national softball team.
And, in
Oklahoma City, Darrell Terrell, an amateur bodybuilder who's been
featured in national magazines and city firefighter Sherry Smith, both
face charges after a search of their home turned up steroids and
syringes.
Agents tell The News On 6 the case is not over. It
has taken them to the East Coast and federal charges are involved, but
they can't talk about that yet because those indictments are currently
sealed.
