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August 23, 2003 -- Two former Columbia University fraternity brothers have
been busted for selling club drugs and bodybuilding steroids through a
Web-based business that used an Internet account issued by the Ivy League
school, court papers show.
Brian Raupp, 26, began taking orders at several of his personal e-mail
accounts for ketamine and anabolic steroids while a student at Columbia last
fall, and continued doing so until last May, according to a Manhattan
federal court complaint.
One of the accounts he allegedly used was [email protected] - which was
issued by the university - while the others used a pseudonym, the complaint
said.
Last November, Raupp completed serving two years' probation after having
pleaded guilty in 2000 to conspiring to distribute steroids, court records
show.
In that case, he told a Manhattan federal court judge he was an athlete who
had sold another athlete the muscle-enhancing drugs.
In the latest crime, Raupp allegedly told drug purchasers to send money to
an address he maintained at a Mailboxes Etc. outlet in Morningside Heights -
near Columbia's campus - and then he arranged for ketamine and steroids to
be sent to the buyers.
The drugs allegedly went to customers in the New York metropolitan area and
Florida.
One of his alleged co-conspirators and drug shippers was 23-year-old David
Pruitt, another former Columbia student who, like his fraternity brother
Raupp, lives in southern California.
Both Raupp - who moved west after the alleged drug ring began operation -
and Pruitt were arrested at their homes Thursday.
Two 28-year-old Old Bridge, N.J., residents - Carlos Covian and Brandon
D'Amico - also were charged with conspiring with the Ivy Leaguers to
distribute the drugs.
If convicted, the men each face up to 20 years in prison and a possible $2
million fine.
The federal Drug Enforcement Administration said the drug ring received
thousands of vials of ketamine and steroids each week from Mexico.
been busted for selling club drugs and bodybuilding steroids through a
Web-based business that used an Internet account issued by the Ivy League
school, court papers show.
Brian Raupp, 26, began taking orders at several of his personal e-mail
accounts for ketamine and anabolic steroids while a student at Columbia last
fall, and continued doing so until last May, according to a Manhattan
federal court complaint.
One of the accounts he allegedly used was [email protected] - which was
issued by the university - while the others used a pseudonym, the complaint
said.
Last November, Raupp completed serving two years' probation after having
pleaded guilty in 2000 to conspiring to distribute steroids, court records
show.
In that case, he told a Manhattan federal court judge he was an athlete who
had sold another athlete the muscle-enhancing drugs.
In the latest crime, Raupp allegedly told drug purchasers to send money to
an address he maintained at a Mailboxes Etc. outlet in Morningside Heights -
near Columbia's campus - and then he arranged for ketamine and steroids to
be sent to the buyers.
The drugs allegedly went to customers in the New York metropolitan area and
Florida.
One of his alleged co-conspirators and drug shippers was 23-year-old David
Pruitt, another former Columbia student who, like his fraternity brother
Raupp, lives in southern California.
Both Raupp - who moved west after the alleged drug ring began operation -
and Pruitt were arrested at their homes Thursday.
Two 28-year-old Old Bridge, N.J., residents - Carlos Covian and Brandon
D'Amico - also were charged with conspiring with the Ivy Leaguers to
distribute the drugs.
If convicted, the men each face up to 20 years in prison and a possible $2
million fine.
The federal Drug Enforcement Administration said the drug ring received
thousands of vials of ketamine and steroids each week from Mexico.
