Four Individuals Charged with Importing Steroids from China and Selling them Over the Internet

BOSTON – Four individuals in three states were arrested yesterday in connection with a nation-wide internet steroid distribution business in which raw steroids imported from China were processed and prepared in Florida, and then ordered over the Internet by, and mailed to, customers across the nation. In a series of arrests and searches conducted early yesterday morning, more than 600,000 dosage units of raw steroids, a tableting machine, steroid packaging and shipping materials, approximately $20,000 in cash and several computers were seized. Pursuant to a federal seizure warrant, agents also seized the website ustraininggear.com.

The following defendants were arrested and charged in a criminal complaint in Massachusetts:

• Mark Lopilato, 53, of Sanger, Texas, was charged with distribution of steroids, a Schedule III controlled substance; conspiracy to distribute steroids, a Schedule III controlled substance; importation of a controlled substance; use of a communications facility in the commission of a narcotics offense; and dispensing a controlled substance by means of the internet;

• Rhonda Fulton, 50, of Palm Bay, Fla., was charged with distribution of steroids, a Schedule III controlled substance; conspiracy to distribute steroids, a schedule III controlled substance; use of a communications facility in the commission of a narcotics offense; and dispensing a controlled substance by means of the internet;

• Michael Fulton, 45, of 1208 Palm Bay, Fla., was charged with conspiracy to distribute steroids, a Schedule III controlled substance; importation of a controlled substance; and use of a communications facility in the commission of a narcotics offense;

• Michael Lopilato, 59, of Salem, N.H., was charged with conspiracy to distribute steroids, a Schedule III controlled substance; use of a communications facility in the commission of a narcotics offense; and dispensing a controlled substance by means of the internet.

According to the complaint, from January 2016 to September 2016, an undercover agent purchased steroids over the internet from the website ustraininggear.com, a website that advertises and sells numerous types of steroids. The website provided instructions on how to place orders and pay for steroids, and further provided an email address operated by Mark Lopilato to place orders.

According to court documents, customers ordered steroids from Mark Lopilato who forwarded the orders by email to Rhonda Fulton and Michael Fulton in Florida. Michael Fulton processed and prepared raw steroids according to the customers’ orders, and Rhonda Fulton packaged and mailed them. Mark Lopilato and the Fultons allegedly ordered the raw steroids from China over the internet, then paid for and received the raw steroids by mail. Mark Lopilato paid Rhonda and Michael Fulton for the preparation, packaging and mailing of the steroids to customers, and also paid Michael Lopilato, his brother, to maintain and operate the website.

The charges of conspiracy to distribute steroids, distribution of steroids, importation of a controlled substance, and dispensing controlled substances by means of the internet each provides for a sentence of no more than 10 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $500,000. The charge of use of a communications facility in commission of a narcotics offense provides for a sentence of no greater than four years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; and Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher F. Bator of Ortiz’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.