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News
Release [print
friendly
page] DEA
Arrests
Owner
of Trim
Tech Labs,
Inc. in
Puerto
Rico
JUN 21 -- SAN JUAN, P.R.— Rosa Emilia Rodriguez-Vélez, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, Jerome Michael Harris, Special Agent in Charge, Caribbean Division, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Ralph Culkin, Resident Agent in Charge, Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA/OCI), today jointly announced the arrest of Christopher Alan Merced Rusk in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. Merced-Rusk was charged with 36 counts, including: Possession with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids, Manufacturing of Anabolic Steroids, Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises, Mislabeling Controlled Substances, and Money Laundering. The indictment also includes forfeiture allegations totaling $813,460.00. The indictment was issued by a federal grand jury on Wednesday, June 20, 2007. According to the investigation, Merced-Rusk maintained a clandestine conversion laboratory in a residence, he had leased in the Municipality of Vega Baja. At the residence, he would manufacture and mislabel anabolic steroids, including testosterone, stanozolol, boldenone, and nadrolone. The investigation revealed that Merced-Rusk sold the anabolic steroids he manufactured and labeled, under the drug names of Winstrol Depot, Winstrol Aqua Depot and Winstrol-V. The money laundering charges state that defendant Merced Rusk, used money in excess of ten thousand dollars, derived from unlawful activity, to gamble at the casino located at the Marriott Stellaris Resort and Casino. The Police of Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Mental Health and Anti Addiction Services Administration and the Puerto Rico Justice’s Department Special Investigations Bureau assisted in the investigation. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial and the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Henwood.
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