Two Men Plead Guilty to Their Roles in Steroid Distribution Ring

BOSTON – A Shrewsbury man and a Worcester man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Worcester for their roles in a steroid-distribution ring in Worcester County.

Ryan Baillargeon, 34, of Worcester, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute steroids. Alan Rich, 32, of Shrewsbury, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a tableting machine to manufacture a controlled substance. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled the sentencings for Dec. 15, 2017.

Baillargeon and Rich were part of a steroid distribution conspiracy that distributed steroids in and around Worcester and Shrewsbury. In 2014, a cooperating witness told law enforcement that he went to alleged co-conspirator Daniel Frederickson’s home over many months to purchase steroids from Frederickson. On one occasion, while in Frederickson’s home, the cooperating witness observed Baillargeon, Frederickson’s roommate, packaging steroids.  Thereafter, the cooperating witness made two controlled purchases of steroids from Frederickson.

On March 12, 2014, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the home of Frederickson and Baillargeon, where they uncovered a functioning anabolic steroid conversion laboratory and seized approximately 20,000 doses of steroids in liquid and pill form, as well as approximately 100 grams of raw steroids in powder form, and approximately 10,000 doses of liquid steroids still in production. The following day, law enforcement intercepted a package from China addressed to Baillargeon that contained Nandrolone Decanoate, a controlled substance. The investigation further revealed that Rich allowed Frederickson to store a tableting machine, used to create steroid pills, at Rich’s home in exchange for monetary compensation and a small amount of steroids.

The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of two years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $500,000.  The charge of possession of a tableting machine provides for a sentence of no greater than four years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; North Reading Police Chief Michael Murphy; and North Andover Police Chief Charles Gray made the announcement today.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Ferguson of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.