Scott Lofquist and Maryland doctor Rodney Baltazar allegedly conspired to illegally distribute 1.3 million units of steroids.

From Kansascity.com:

Baltazar, a doctor of osteopathy, is expected to plead guilty Thursday, prosecutors said.

The men allegedly sold the drugs to those trying to reverse the course of aging and to bodybuilders and athletes seeking to improve their performance.

Baltazar did not see the patients in person while allegedly writing the prescriptions, according to court records.

Bohdan Ulihrach

The urine test suggested 5.2 nanograms per milliliter, which was fractionally over the 5.0 limit.

From Guardian.co.uk:

Ulihrach’s decision to go public about his test is slightly puzzling given that, under Association of Tennis Professionals rules, his name would not have been released for at least another three weeks and then only if the second or B sample also came up positive.

The 27-year-old is awaiting the result of that before deciding whether to appeal. Should the B sample also yield a positive result he could be banned for two years.

His test was carried out under the auspices of the ATP, which has committed to increasing the number of tests players have to undergo both in and out of competition. Last year it tested 880 players during tournaments but only 70 out of competition. The ATP aims to increase in-competition testing by 20% this year and double the rate out of competition.

The sportsman has been world-ranked as high as number 22.

Fletcher was sentenced to 9 months in prison for drug offences, like supply of 16 types of class C substances.

From Guardian.co.uk:

His offence involved the supply of a number of anabolic steroids, including testosterone, human growth hormone and Trenbolone, all of which are banned under the World Anti-Doping Agency code.

Fletcher, who was provisionally suspended from all competition on 8 November, is banned from participation in sport until 7 November 2015.

The UKAD chief executive, Andy Parkinson, said the case demonstrated the extent to which it was increasingly working with law enforcement agencies, in this case including Merseyside police and the Serious Organised Crime Agency.

“This case proves the invaluable role that law enforcement agencies have in the fight against doping in sport and demonstrates that our intelligence system is working effectively,” Parkinson said.

Barry Bonds

Susan Illston handed down the sentence to the former baseball slugger in a San Francisco federal for his conviction on a single criminal count associated with an investigation over steroids use in sports.

From Guardian.co.uk:

Bonds was also sentenced to 30 days of home confinement, 250 hours of community service, and must pay a $4,000 fine.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston handed down the sentence in a San Francisco federal court, and she immediately stayed it pending appeal. Prosecutors had sought a 15-month prison sentence, while Bonds asked for probation.

Bonds, 47, was convicted in April of obstructing a grand jury’s doping investigation with an evasive answer during a court appearance in December 2003. The Northern California jury was deadlocked on three other counts of lying to a grand jury.

The game of baseball has been troubled by accusations about steroid use on sluggers like Mark McGwire and Jason Giambi and pitcher Roger Clemens in the past.

The man was arrested for possessing several drugs for the purpose of trafficking, RCMP Cpl. Daniel Melanson said in a news release.

From Cbc.ca:

The man, who was arrested on Dec. 31, has been released and is scheduled to appear in Campbellton provincial court on March 5 to face charges.

The arrest occurred after an off-duty officer observed what appeared to be a drug transaction taking place in the parking lot of Sugarloaf Provincial Park, said Melanson.

The investigation is currently in pending status.

After all, leaving baseball greats would have meant that the club was meaningless and empty without the most dominant pitchers of a generation.

From Articles.wsbt.com:

Today Barry Larkin was the lone player elected in the class of 2012, leaving Mark McGwire (583 HR, 10th all-time) and Rafael Palmiero (569 HR, 12th all-time), both perceived to be steroid users, nowhere close to election.

Sooner or later, the prevailing theory among sportswriters will have to change. If they continue to punish suspected and proven steroid users, pretty soon nobody will be going into the Hall.

These were two of the most recognized players of the game who brought baseball back into the national forefront in 1990s that was far more impressive than their career home run totals.

Keith Ashabranner, 32, of O’Fallon, Mo., pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge to possess and distribute human growth hormone drugs.

From Stltoday.com:

In their pleas, both bodybuilders admitted buying steroids and human growth hormone from China. The men used some of the drugs and sold the rest to other bodybuilders.

The Chinese drugs were shipped here with false customs declarations that claimed they were other, inexpensive goods.

Ashabranner admitted buying roughly $32,000 worth of drugs and making more than $30,000 from the sale of them. Loomans spent roughly $10,000 and made the same amount from their sale.

Under federal sentencing guidelines, Ashabranner could face six to 12 months when sentenced May 4 and Loomans could face from probation to six months in prison.

Wilkinson said he forgot carrying them with him as he makes an entry into the Deerbolt Young Offenders’ Institution, near Barnard Castle, County Durham.

From Theadvertiserseries.co.uk:

Lesley Kirkup, prosecuting, said Wilkinson was asked if he had anything on him which he should not be taking into the establishment as he arrived for work on September 9.

He said he had nothing, but a container was found in his pocket with 15 tablets, which he claimed were for a chest infection.

Lesley Kirkup, prosecuting, said as there was no prescription label on the container it was retained, but Wilkinson later asked for the return of the tablets.

The drugs were found to be methandienone, an anabolic steroid, Mrs Kirkup said.

Representatives for the companies DCD, LLC, also known as Advanced Muscle Science, and R & D Holdings pleaded guilty to the imposed charges.

From Idahostatesman.com:

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill fined DCD, LLC $125,000 and R & D Holdings $21,000 — which is close to the gross revenue the companies generated from selling the fake supplements to the Meridian company and retailers in other states, according to U.S. Department of Justice reports.

Winmill also placed DCD, LLC on probation and is requiring that company to implement a testing protocol for its products to ensure future products sold as dietary supplements do not contain steroids for five years.

Prosecutors say R & D Holdings no longer manufactures supplements and is banned from doing so for the next two years as part of their probation.

DCD, LLC is a Nevada-based corporation with offices in California and Michigan and R & D Holdings was located in southern California according to the court records.

Ricky Thomas, who used to run Health Zone in the Cloisters, was accused of supplying drugs commonly abused by bodybuilders, such as Viagra, testosterone, Diazepam, and breast-reduction drugs.

From Bucksherald.co.uk:

Police raided Thomas’s store on February 1 last year, where they discovered large quantities of drugs in cardboard boxes and vast amounts of cash.

The court heard how bodybuilder Thomas had been prosecuted twice before for similar offences, but had never received a custodial sentence.

Defending, David Jones said that despite finding himself in court once more, Thomas had attempted to keep himself out of trouble through setting up his health shop in the Cloisters.

“His customers were body builders, so they knew what they were doing. He is only 25, and he is a young man with promise,” Jones said.