Steroid Manufacturing Ring Busted Investigation Leads to Three Arrests and Underground Steroid Lab

OCT 15-- SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Assistant Special Agent in Charge Gordon Taylor, El Dorado County Sheriff Jeff Neves, and El Dorado County District Attorney Vern Pierson, announced today the conclusion of a ten-month undercover investigation into an illegal anabolic steroid manufacturing ring that led to three arrests and the service of three state search warrants in Sacramento and El Dorado Counties. As a result of this investigation, agents seized a large anabolic steroid lab in Elverta, CA, over 500 vials and 1,850 capsules of anabolic steroid pills, and arrested Jason Glavin, 37, of El Dorado Hills, CA, Erin O’Neil, 40, and his wife Amy O’Neil, 32, both of Fair Oaks, CA.

“In terms of underground steroid labs, this was a huge seizure for this area,” stated Gordon Taylor, DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge. Taylor added, “The illegal use of anabolic steroids can be a dangerous practice, especially for young people. This danger is only compounded when drug rings manufacture steroids in unsanitary, unsterilized underground labs like we found in this case.”

“These arrests not only take criminals out of our neighborhoods, but also make the distribution of anabolic steroids more difficult in El Dorado County. I am proud of the cooperation between the Sheriff's Office and the DEA in bringing this steroid ring to an end,” stated El Dorado County Sheriff Jeff Neves.

“Anabolic steroid use is a very serious problem among our youth and while they make bold promises, steroids can deliver tragic results. The El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office will continue to work with our partners in law enforcement to prosecute individuals who distribute this dangerous drug,” stated District Attorney Vern Pierson.

In January 2009, the West El Dorado Narcotics Enforcement Team (WENET) began this investigation, and one month later requested assistance from the DEA Sacramento Office. In February 2009, a WENET undercover officer met with and purchased two vials of anabolic steroids from Jason Glavin at a parking lot in El Dorado Hills, CA. During this meeting the undercover officer learned that Glavin had obtained his supply of anabolic steroids for more than a decade from an individual who allegedly worked in the medical field. The investigation later revealed that Erin O’Neil was Glavin’s supplier for anabolic steroids.

Between February and September 2009, the undercover officer purchased anabolic steroids from Glavin on multiple occasions at a grocery store parking lot in Citrus Heights, CA. Before and after some of the undercover purchases, Glavin drove to the residence of his alleged steroid suppliers, Erin and Amy O’Neil, located at 4306 Castleglen Way, Fair Oaks, CA. According to the search warrant affidavit, Glavin’s steroid supplier received “raw product” and clandestinely manufactured and labeled the anabolic steroids for distribution.

During the course of the investigation agents learned that purchases in the name of Amy O’Neil were made through Pay Pal from a manufacturer of blank laser and inkjet labels, and from a company that sold encapsulating machines and various sized capsules, which can be used to encapsulate anabolic steroids.

This case culminated in the late afternoon on October 14, 2009, when Glavin was placed under arrest after he delivered 100 vials of anabolic steroids to the undercover officer in a parking lot at San Juan Avenue and Sunset Avenue in Citrus Heights, CA. Following Glavin’s arrest, law enforcement served three state search warrants at the following locations:

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3015 Borgata Way, El Dorado Hills, California (Glavin’s residence)
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4306 Castleglen Way, Fair Oaks, California (residence of Erin and Amy O’Neil)
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3635 Elorduy Lane, Elverta, California (clandestine steroid lab location)

As a result of the search warrants, agents seized a large clandestine anabolic steroid lab in a residence at 3635 Elorduy Lane, Elverta, CA. This residence was associated with Erin and Amy O’Neil. The lab was located in an unsanitary utility room and contained what appeared to be raw steroid powder and large containers of liquid steroids, a vast array of packaging materials, vials, capsules and pre-printed steroid vial labels. Overall, this investigation resulted in the seizure of approximately 500 vials and 1,850 capsules of anabolic steroids with an estimated street value of $118,000.

Erin O’Neil, Amy O’Neil, and Jason Glavin were booked into custody at the El Dorado County Jail for violations of the California Health and Safety Code Sections 11377, 11378, and 11379.

This case is the product of an investigation by the DEA Sacramento District Office and West El Dorado Narcotics Enforcement Team (WENET) with assistance from the California Highway Patrol. The El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting this case.

The charges are only allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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