News

‘Operation Gym Candy' -- AG: 13 charged in anabolic steroid ring

HARRISBURG — Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane announced charges Thursday in a case involving two transcontinental anabolic-steroid rings.

In all, 13 people were charged, including a probation officer and four current or former corrections officers, Kane said.

The charges allege that the individuals shipped hundreds of thousands of pills out of five Northeastern Pennsylvania counties, and also ran a ring that sold illegal prescription drugs.

The charges followed a 17-month investigation conducted by the Office of Attorney General's Bureau of Narcotics Investigation in cooperation with local law enforcement agencies.

As part of the illicit operation, Kane said, three of the individuals charged -- Brian Laubach, Richard Piccarreta and Paul Dougal -- 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 that the drugs could be injected.

According to Kane, Keith Kilgus 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 allegedly operated a prescription drug ring involving Dougal and one other of the anabolic-steroid ring suspects, Nick Baloga, Kane said.

"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," 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 Montour, Northumberland, Columbia, Luzerne and Lackawanna 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 steroid 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 Thursday.

Kane said 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 drug 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.

One of her alleged customers was Dougal, who sold the pills to Baloga, according to the criminal complaint.

Investigators said members of the anabolic-steroid rings used the drugs themselves, and believe some took prescription drugs to alleviate pain associated with excessive exercise and weightlifting.

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 Fisher (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."

The defendants will be preliminarily arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Richard Cronauer and will be prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General William Abraham of the Attorney General's Drug Strike Force Section.

An additional defendant, Kristen Pietrzyk, was charged Thursday, but is not associated with any of the drug rings, Kane said.

Below is a full list of the defendants, their photos and the charges against them:

-- Brian Laubach, 36, Columbia County, is charged with: two counts of manufacturing anabolic steroids; two counts of corrupt organizations; one count of delivery of anabolic steroids; one count of possession with the intent to deliver anabolic steroids; one count of possession of anabolic steroids; one count of conspiracy to deliver anabolic steroids; one count of dealing in unlawful proceeds; and one count of conspiracy to deal in unlawful proceeds.

-- Marc Laubach, 36, Columbia County, is charged with: one count of dealing in unlawful proceeds and one count of conspiracy to deal in unlawful proceeds.

-- Paul Dougal, 31, Columbia County, is charged with: one count of manufacturing anabolic steroids; one count of delivery of anabolic steroids; one count of possession with intent to deliver anabolic steroids; one count of possession of anabolic steroids; one count of conspiracy to deliver anabolic steroids; two counts of corrupt organizations; one count of dealing in unlawful proceeds; and one count of conspiracy to deal in unlawful proceeds.

-- Richard Piccarreta, 49, Luzerne County, is charged with: one count of manufacturing anabolic steroids; one count of delivery of anabolic steroids; one count of possession with intent to deliver anabolic steroids; one count of possession of anabolic steroids; one count of conspiracy to deliver anabolic steroids; two counts of corrupt organization; one count of dealing in unlawful proceeds; and one count of conspiracy to deal in unlawful proceeds.

-- Keith Kilgus, 40, Montour County, is charged with: two counts of delivery of anabolic steroids; two counts of possession with intent to deliver anabolic steroids; two counts of possession of anabolic steroids; two counts of conspiracy to deliver anabolic steroids; and two counts of corrupt organizations.

-- Brian Clarke, 24, Luzerne County, is charged with: four counts of delivery of anabolic steroids; four counts of possession with intent to deliver anabolic steroids; four counts of possession of anabolic steroids; four counts of conspiracy to deliver anabolic steroids; two counts of corrupt organizations; and one count of illegal use of a communication facility.

-- Matt Valanoski, 25, Northumberland County, is charged with: one count of possession of anabolic steroids.

-- John Koch, 24, Luzerne County, is charged with: one count of possession with intent to deliver anabolic steroids; one count of possession of anabolic steroids; one count of delivery of anabolic steroids; one count of criminal conspiracy to deliver anabolic steroids and two counts of corrupt organizations.

-- Nick Baloga, 44, Lackawanna County, is charged with: two counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance; two counts of possession of anabolic steroids; two counts of conspiracy to deliver controlled substances; two counts of corrupt organizations; and one count of illegal use of a communication facility.

-- Kyle Goyne, 23, Luzerne County, is charged with: one count of delivery of anabolic steroids; one count of possession with intent to deliver anabolic steroids; one count of possession of anabolic steroids; one count of conspiracy to deliver anabolic steroids; two counts of corrupt organizations; and one count of illegal use of a communication facility.

-- John Taffera, 39, Luzerne County, is charged with: one count of delivery of a controlled substance; one count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance; one count of possession of anabolic steroids; one count of conspiracy to deliver anabolic steroids; two counts corrupt organizations; and one count of illegal use of a communication facility.

-- Sheree Senausky, 29, Luzerne County, is charged with: three counts of delivery of a controlled substance; four counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance; two counts of corrupt organizations; and one count of illegal use of a communication facility.

-- Pete Fischer, 54, Luzerne County, is charged with: one count of possession of anabolic steroids and one count of illegal use of a communication facility.

-- Kristen Pietrzyk, 27, Luzerne County, is charged with: two counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance; two counts of delivery of a controlled substance; and one count of illegal use of a communication facility.

WPXI

Most Read