FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACTAUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885

JUNE 14, 2007

STEROID DISTRIBUTOR PLEADS GUILTY

Obtained Anabolic Steroids from Foreign Sources Over the Internet

Baltimore, Maryland - Michael Schlanger, age 48, of Catonsville, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute 40,000 units or more of anabolic steroids, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.

According to the plea agreement presented to the court, from 1998 to 2006 Schlanger regularly purchased thousands of units of anabolic steroids over the internet from foreign sources. Schlanger had the steroids shipped to him directly, and to rented mailboxes reserved in false names. Schlanger then re-sold the anabolic steroids in the United States. Schlanger also enlisted the help of at least two domestic co-conspirators to accept packages containing anabolic steroids and to make wire transfers as payment to his foreign sources of anabolic steroids. At the time of Schlanger’s arrest on July 28, 2006, law enforcement officials found approximately 12,500 units of anabolic steroids in a storage locker rented by Schlanger and seized Schlanger’s personal computer, which contained detailed records of purchases and sales of steroids.

Schlanger faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz has scheduled sentencing for September 7, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Mid-Atlantic Laboratory for their investigative work. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Giblin, who is prosecuting the case.