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Three people charged in steroid distribution
By BUTCH MABIN / Lincoln Journal Star
A Nebraska State Patrol investigator said three men who allegedly ran a local steroid distribution ring in Lincoln are suspected of selling the drug to college athletes, among others.
Sgt. Glenn Elwell declined to say Thursday whether the suspects' clients included University of Nebraska-Lincoln athletes.
"They were (allegedly) distributing … fairly locally to athletes," Elwell said. "Some went to bodybuilders, some going to athletes on the college level."
Charged Thursday with felony conspiracy to distribute, deliver, dispense or possess with intent to distribute, deliver or dispense were Chad Case, 30; Levi D. Lewis, 24; and Kenneth Thompson, 23. All three live in the Lincoln area.
If convicted, the men could receive up to 20 years in prison and $25,000 fines each.
The Lancaster County attorney's office also charged Lewis with possession of a controlled substance and with possession of illicit drug money. Both charges are punishable by up to five years in prison and $10,000 fines.
Lewis already was facing a related drug charge. Prosecutors charged him last year with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.
A suppression hearing on that charge was scheduled for today in Lancaster County District Court.
Lewis is a former Grand Island-area high school football player. Case was a member of the Nebraska Wesleyan University football team in the late 1990s.
Elwell said investigators believe the three men were part of a nationwide steroid and muscle-growth drug-distribution ring based in New York City.
He said the defendants were suspected of selling to "numerous" people in the Lincoln area, but he said there was no evidence yet that high school students purchased drugs from the men.
"It's still an ongoing investigation involving numerous people," he said. "Locally, we consider it quite significant."
A Lancaster County judge at the hearing Thursday entered not guilty pleas for the men, who were scheduled to appear in court again July 20.
Case and Thompson were released from Lancaster County Jail after posting $1,000 bonds. Lewis — who earlier posted bond on last year's charge — was released after posting a $500 bond.
Elwell said the defendants are suspected of distributing the drugs from July 2003 to November 2004.
He said the investigation began when U.S. Postal workers noticed a package mailed from New York addressed to one of the men — apparently Lewis — that fit the Postal Inspection Service's profile for contraband.
Investigators obtained a search warrant, opened the package and found anabolic steroids and human growth hormones, according to court records.
Investigators then tracked a number of packages received by Lewis and Thompson from New York or mailed by them to the city, according to court records.
In addition, according to the records, witnesses told investigators they received packages of steroids and muscle-growth drugs at their addresses at the request of Lewis and Thompson.
Other witnesses told investigators Case purchased the drugs from Lewis and Thompson while Case was an employee of a natural foods and supplements store, according to the documents.
The store is not named in the documents.
Nebraska State Patrol investigators arrested Lewis Nov. 18 in Lincoln.
At the time of his arrest, Lewis allegedly had steroids in his car and was in possession of $2,850 in cash, according to the records.
By BUTCH MABIN / Lincoln Journal Star
A Nebraska State Patrol investigator said three men who allegedly ran a local steroid distribution ring in Lincoln are suspected of selling the drug to college athletes, among others.
Sgt. Glenn Elwell declined to say Thursday whether the suspects' clients included University of Nebraska-Lincoln athletes.
"They were (allegedly) distributing … fairly locally to athletes," Elwell said. "Some went to bodybuilders, some going to athletes on the college level."
Charged Thursday with felony conspiracy to distribute, deliver, dispense or possess with intent to distribute, deliver or dispense were Chad Case, 30; Levi D. Lewis, 24; and Kenneth Thompson, 23. All three live in the Lincoln area.
If convicted, the men could receive up to 20 years in prison and $25,000 fines each.
The Lancaster County attorney's office also charged Lewis with possession of a controlled substance and with possession of illicit drug money. Both charges are punishable by up to five years in prison and $10,000 fines.
Lewis already was facing a related drug charge. Prosecutors charged him last year with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.
A suppression hearing on that charge was scheduled for today in Lancaster County District Court.
Lewis is a former Grand Island-area high school football player. Case was a member of the Nebraska Wesleyan University football team in the late 1990s.
Elwell said investigators believe the three men were part of a nationwide steroid and muscle-growth drug-distribution ring based in New York City.
He said the defendants were suspected of selling to "numerous" people in the Lincoln area, but he said there was no evidence yet that high school students purchased drugs from the men.
"It's still an ongoing investigation involving numerous people," he said. "Locally, we consider it quite significant."
A Lancaster County judge at the hearing Thursday entered not guilty pleas for the men, who were scheduled to appear in court again July 20.
Case and Thompson were released from Lancaster County Jail after posting $1,000 bonds. Lewis — who earlier posted bond on last year's charge — was released after posting a $500 bond.
Elwell said the defendants are suspected of distributing the drugs from July 2003 to November 2004.
He said the investigation began when U.S. Postal workers noticed a package mailed from New York addressed to one of the men — apparently Lewis — that fit the Postal Inspection Service's profile for contraband.
Investigators obtained a search warrant, opened the package and found anabolic steroids and human growth hormones, according to court records.
Investigators then tracked a number of packages received by Lewis and Thompson from New York or mailed by them to the city, according to court records.
In addition, according to the records, witnesses told investigators they received packages of steroids and muscle-growth drugs at their addresses at the request of Lewis and Thompson.
Other witnesses told investigators Case purchased the drugs from Lewis and Thompson while Case was an employee of a natural foods and supplements store, according to the documents.
The store is not named in the documents.
Nebraska State Patrol investigators arrested Lewis Nov. 18 in Lincoln.
At the time of his arrest, Lewis allegedly had steroids in his car and was in possession of $2,850 in cash, according to the records.
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