Former Jonesborough Police Officer Sentenced To Serve Eighteen Months In Prison For Steroid Trafficking

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – Freddie Matthew Sergent, 31, of Telford, Tenn., was sentenced on August 12, 2013, by the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, U.S. District Court Judge, to serve 18 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.

Sergent pleaded guilty in January 2013 to unlawfully distributing anabolic steroids from approximately 2009 to April 2012. Anabolic steroids are synthetically produced variants of the naturally occurring male hormone testosterone and are regulated under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) as a Schedule III controlled substance. As a Schedule III controlled substance, they may not be possessed lawfully in the United States without a prescription.

Sergent obtained raw steroid powders and other materials through the U.S. mails from sources in China. He processed and packaged the steroids into vials containing approximately 300 milliliters of a solution containing an anabolic steroid, to include the Schedule III anabolic steroid boldenone undecylenate, often referred to by the trade name “Equipoise.” Sergent sold the steroids to customers in eastern Tennessee as well as customers across the United States.

During the execution of a federal search warrant at Sergent’s residence in April 2012, agents recovered steroid powders, materials used to process and package steroids, syringes, computers used to order and sell steroids over the Internet, and three firearms. He admitted that he had been ordering steroid powder from China, processing and packaging the steroids, and selling the steroids to customers throughout the United States, the steroids being sent through the U.S. mail. Sergent said he had sold approximately $80,000 worth of steroids at $40 per vial.

For almost the entire time Sergent was unlawfully trafficking in steroids, he was employed as a police officer with the Jonesborough, Tennessee Police Department. He resigned from the Jonesborough Police Department in January 2012.

Agencies involved in this investigation included the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Smith represented the United States.