Post by ChrisC on Nov 25, 2004 0:30:24 GMT -5
Not looking good for Dennis James and Milos Sarcev...
From Kansas City Star
www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/10249582.htm?1c
Bodybuilder with BALCO indicted in steroids case
By PETE CAREY
San Jose Mercury News
SAN JOSE, Calif. - A prominent California bodybuilder with ties to BALCO Laboratories has been indicted, along with two other men, by a federal grand jury in Des Moines, Iowa, in an alleged conspiracy to import illegal steroids from Thailand.
The three are Milos Sarcev of Temecula, Calif., Admir Kantarevic of Des Moines, and Dennis James, a U.S. citizen reportedly arrested on drug charges last February in Thailand.
Sarcev, a former Mr. Yugoslavia, is a friend of Victor Conte Jr., the president of Balco, who faces federal drug charges in San Francisco. Sarcev spoke up for Conte in February when Conte's indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft. Sarcev designed workouts for some of Conte's prominent clients.
Reports of a grand jury investigation into bodybuilding surfaced in March, when grand jury subpoenas were handed to a number of bodybuilders at Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's annual bodybuilding event in Ohio. After seemingly casting a wide net, the investigation apparently has narrowed down to the three indictments announced Monday. Sarcev's lawyer, Rick Collins, said he understands the indictment is based on ``one single box of steroids that was found in the mail.''
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Des Moines released little information beyond the indictments and possible penalties.
The trio is accused of conspiring to import in 2003 a mixture containing an illegal steroid. Additionally, Sarcev, 40, and Kantarevic, 33, are accused of importing the mixture, and Kantarevic is accused of possession of the substance. All three have pleaded not guilty. A trial is scheduled for Jan. 3. The charges carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison or a $250,000 fine, or both, according to the U.S. Attorney's office in Des Moines.
Collins observed that Sarcev was not charged with possession or distribution. ``Even a person who was convicted under these facts would face a maximum punishment of far, far less than five years,'' Collins said.
James, 35, is a professional bodybuilder who lives in Pattaya City, Thailand. He reportedly was arrested there in February after signing for a shipment from Germany of human growth hormone and 18 tablets of the club drug Ecstasy, according to several bodybuilding Web sites that quoted a Thai newspaper story. The story said that Thai and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents seized his computer and suspected James of importing banned drugs while running a local gym.
His lawyer, Paul D. Scott of Des Moines, said James will fight the grand jury's charges.
``Dennis is denying any kind of importation at all of anabolic steroids,'' said Scott, who said he is unaware of the status of the Thailand charges but that James is fighting those as well. ``He's not involved in any importation, or any agreement with anybody, let alone the people that have been indicted here.''
A lawyer representing Kantarevic could not be reached for comment.
From Kansas City Star
www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/10249582.htm?1c
Bodybuilder with BALCO indicted in steroids case
By PETE CAREY
San Jose Mercury News
SAN JOSE, Calif. - A prominent California bodybuilder with ties to BALCO Laboratories has been indicted, along with two other men, by a federal grand jury in Des Moines, Iowa, in an alleged conspiracy to import illegal steroids from Thailand.
The three are Milos Sarcev of Temecula, Calif., Admir Kantarevic of Des Moines, and Dennis James, a U.S. citizen reportedly arrested on drug charges last February in Thailand.
Sarcev, a former Mr. Yugoslavia, is a friend of Victor Conte Jr., the president of Balco, who faces federal drug charges in San Francisco. Sarcev spoke up for Conte in February when Conte's indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft. Sarcev designed workouts for some of Conte's prominent clients.
Reports of a grand jury investigation into bodybuilding surfaced in March, when grand jury subpoenas were handed to a number of bodybuilders at Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's annual bodybuilding event in Ohio. After seemingly casting a wide net, the investigation apparently has narrowed down to the three indictments announced Monday. Sarcev's lawyer, Rick Collins, said he understands the indictment is based on ``one single box of steroids that was found in the mail.''
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Des Moines released little information beyond the indictments and possible penalties.
The trio is accused of conspiring to import in 2003 a mixture containing an illegal steroid. Additionally, Sarcev, 40, and Kantarevic, 33, are accused of importing the mixture, and Kantarevic is accused of possession of the substance. All three have pleaded not guilty. A trial is scheduled for Jan. 3. The charges carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison or a $250,000 fine, or both, according to the U.S. Attorney's office in Des Moines.
Collins observed that Sarcev was not charged with possession or distribution. ``Even a person who was convicted under these facts would face a maximum punishment of far, far less than five years,'' Collins said.
James, 35, is a professional bodybuilder who lives in Pattaya City, Thailand. He reportedly was arrested there in February after signing for a shipment from Germany of human growth hormone and 18 tablets of the club drug Ecstasy, according to several bodybuilding Web sites that quoted a Thai newspaper story. The story said that Thai and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents seized his computer and suspected James of importing banned drugs while running a local gym.
His lawyer, Paul D. Scott of Des Moines, said James will fight the grand jury's charges.
``Dennis is denying any kind of importation at all of anabolic steroids,'' said Scott, who said he is unaware of the status of the Thailand charges but that James is fighting those as well. ``He's not involved in any importation, or any agreement with anybody, let alone the people that have been indicted here.''
A lawyer representing Kantarevic could not be reached for comment.
