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tBRUNSWICK - Joseph Garcia Jr. might have thought his legal troubles were nearing an end Friday after pleading guilty to conspiring to possess and distribute anabolic steroids in Glynn County.
If so, he was wrong.
Garcia, 28, of Alpharetta, was ordered released on $25,000 unsecured bail by Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony Alaimo, pending sentencing. But before he could leave the courtroom, Garcia was stopped by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian McEvoy who told the judge an arrest warrant for Garcia had been filed in New Haven, Conn., 15 minutes before his hearing began in Brunswick.
Garcia is charged with conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids from November through Jan. 4, McEvoy told the court.
The information filed in U.S. District Court in New Haven charges Garcia continued to conduct clandestine steroid transactions over the Internet while out on bail in the Brunswick case, which involved similar charges, McEvoy said.
Agents from the FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service in New Haven, who had been seated in the courtroom, came forward to arrest Garcia, who looked as surprised as his attorney, Chevene King Jr.
"He did know of the investigation but not that charges has been filed ... and I did not know that my client had an arrest warrant hanging over his head," King complained to Alaimo.
McEvoy responded that his office had nothing to do with the Connecticut charges.
Despite the new charges, Garcia told the court he wanted to keep the plea agreement in the Brunswick case.
"I stand by my plea," testified Garcia, who earlier admitted to handling steroid deals. Garcia was among four men charged in Brunswick last year as the result of an international investigation targeting steroid traffickers and clandestine processing labs nationwide.
Also known as Joe Gold, he conspired to distribute anabolic steroids in Brunswick from April 17 through July 9, FBI Special Agent Tony Alig testified.
Alig testified that Garcia provided money-laundering services and routed shipments of steroids from China to buyers in the U.S. The transactions were brokered using encrypted e-mails, he testified.
Garcia faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine in the Brunswick case, federal sentencing guidelines indicate.
He has agreed to forfeit to the government an unspecified amount of cash in offshore bank accounts, a flat-screen television and other property resulting from money-laundering operations, McEvoy told the judge.
Flanked by King, Garcia then walked across the hall to the courtroom of U.S. Magistrate James Graham for a brief initial appearance on the Connecticut charges.
Graham informed Garcia of his legal rights. He then ordered Garcia jailed pending a hearing Friday to determine if he will remain in custody until court proceedings in New Haven.
__________________
Good sense is the best distributed thing in the world: for everyone thinks himself so well endowed with it that even those who are the hardest to please in everything else do not usually desire more of it than they possess.
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his is JOE GOLD
If so, he was wrong.
Garcia, 28, of Alpharetta, was ordered released on $25,000 unsecured bail by Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony Alaimo, pending sentencing. But before he could leave the courtroom, Garcia was stopped by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian McEvoy who told the judge an arrest warrant for Garcia had been filed in New Haven, Conn., 15 minutes before his hearing began in Brunswick.
Garcia is charged with conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids from November through Jan. 4, McEvoy told the court.
The information filed in U.S. District Court in New Haven charges Garcia continued to conduct clandestine steroid transactions over the Internet while out on bail in the Brunswick case, which involved similar charges, McEvoy said.
Agents from the FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service in New Haven, who had been seated in the courtroom, came forward to arrest Garcia, who looked as surprised as his attorney, Chevene King Jr.
"He did know of the investigation but not that charges has been filed ... and I did not know that my client had an arrest warrant hanging over his head," King complained to Alaimo.
McEvoy responded that his office had nothing to do with the Connecticut charges.
Despite the new charges, Garcia told the court he wanted to keep the plea agreement in the Brunswick case.
"I stand by my plea," testified Garcia, who earlier admitted to handling steroid deals. Garcia was among four men charged in Brunswick last year as the result of an international investigation targeting steroid traffickers and clandestine processing labs nationwide.
Also known as Joe Gold, he conspired to distribute anabolic steroids in Brunswick from April 17 through July 9, FBI Special Agent Tony Alig testified.
Alig testified that Garcia provided money-laundering services and routed shipments of steroids from China to buyers in the U.S. The transactions were brokered using encrypted e-mails, he testified.
Garcia faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine in the Brunswick case, federal sentencing guidelines indicate.
He has agreed to forfeit to the government an unspecified amount of cash in offshore bank accounts, a flat-screen television and other property resulting from money-laundering operations, McEvoy told the judge.
Flanked by King, Garcia then walked across the hall to the courtroom of U.S. Magistrate James Graham for a brief initial appearance on the Connecticut charges.
Graham informed Garcia of his legal rights. He then ordered Garcia jailed pending a hearing Friday to determine if he will remain in custody until court proceedings in New Haven.
__________________
Good sense is the best distributed thing in the world: for everyone thinks himself so well endowed with it that even those who are the hardest to please in everything else do not usually desire more of it than they possess.
--------------------
his is JOE GOLD
