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Anyone else that has met or know of PJ (he's a big name over at RX-muscle/Palumbo's site) know he's a real stand up guy. Hope the very best for him. Looks like no charges for dealing so far - which is great.
Danbury bodybuilder charged in steroid ring - NewsTimes
Danbury bodybuilder charged in steroid ring - NewsTimes
DANBURY -- Police said a local bodybuilder has been arrested as part of the continuing investigation into a ring that sold illegal steroids in the Danbury area.
Police said Philip "P.J." Braun, 30, who writes on his blog that he is best friends with Bethel's Mark Mansa, who police said is the head of the operation, was taken into custody last week after detectives from the department's Special Investigations Division and a federal drug agent went to his Pembroke Avenue condominium to serve an arrest warrant for conspiracy to possess marijuana.
The charges are part of the joint investigation by local police and the federal Drug Enforcement Agency that began five years ago, police department spokesman Capt. Thomas Wendel said.
When investigators entered Braun's home March 28, they said they saw both narcotics and substances that proved to be steroids in plain sight, according to Wendel.
Police said the narcotic was Percocet, a prescription painkiller. The steroids were testosterone, and brand-name steroids Deca-Durabolin, Halotestin and Proviron.
Braun also was charged with three counts each of possession of a controlled substance and possession of prescription legend drugs, plus possession of narcotics, according to police.
He was released on a promise to appear Wednesday in state Superior Court on White Street.
The arrest warrant affidavit detailing the original marijuana possession charge against Braun has been sealed by the court. The only information available about the case indicated the possession charge stems from a September incident in Danbury.
All the charges indicate Braun was using the drugs, but he was not involved in selling them.
Calls to a phone number for Braun listed in court documents weren't answered Monday, and it wasn't known whether he has retained a lawyer.
Four people -- Mansa, Brookfield businessman Glenn Wagner, convicted drug dealer Kevin Lubic, of Salem, N.Y., and Richard Sciacchetano, a Stuart, Fla., man with reputed ties to the Bonanno crime family -- were indicted by a federal grand jury last month for distributing either marijuana or steroids to customers that authorities said included adults and high school athletes.
Only Mansa, a 46-year-old businessman from Bethel, was accused of participating in both rings.
Wagner, Lubic and Sciacchetano were indicted only on the marijuana-related charges, and both Sciacchetano and Wagner have denied participating in steroid sales.
During Mansa's initial court appearance, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Vizcarrondo said that area high school athletes and people in "the muscle industry" were among Mansa's clients who purchased steroids.
Mansa also has boasted that he had been protected by members of several area police departments, including Danbury, New Milford and Wilton, allegations that town officials and police spokesmen in those towns have vehemently denied.
Police said Philip "P.J." Braun, 30, who writes on his blog that he is best friends with Bethel's Mark Mansa, who police said is the head of the operation, was taken into custody last week after detectives from the department's Special Investigations Division and a federal drug agent went to his Pembroke Avenue condominium to serve an arrest warrant for conspiracy to possess marijuana.
The charges are part of the joint investigation by local police and the federal Drug Enforcement Agency that began five years ago, police department spokesman Capt. Thomas Wendel said.
When investigators entered Braun's home March 28, they said they saw both narcotics and substances that proved to be steroids in plain sight, according to Wendel.
Police said the narcotic was Percocet, a prescription painkiller. The steroids were testosterone, and brand-name steroids Deca-Durabolin, Halotestin and Proviron.
Braun also was charged with three counts each of possession of a controlled substance and possession of prescription legend drugs, plus possession of narcotics, according to police.
He was released on a promise to appear Wednesday in state Superior Court on White Street.
The arrest warrant affidavit detailing the original marijuana possession charge against Braun has been sealed by the court. The only information available about the case indicated the possession charge stems from a September incident in Danbury.
All the charges indicate Braun was using the drugs, but he was not involved in selling them.
Calls to a phone number for Braun listed in court documents weren't answered Monday, and it wasn't known whether he has retained a lawyer.
Four people -- Mansa, Brookfield businessman Glenn Wagner, convicted drug dealer Kevin Lubic, of Salem, N.Y., and Richard Sciacchetano, a Stuart, Fla., man with reputed ties to the Bonanno crime family -- were indicted by a federal grand jury last month for distributing either marijuana or steroids to customers that authorities said included adults and high school athletes.
Only Mansa, a 46-year-old businessman from Bethel, was accused of participating in both rings.
Wagner, Lubic and Sciacchetano were indicted only on the marijuana-related charges, and both Sciacchetano and Wagner have denied participating in steroid sales.
During Mansa's initial court appearance, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Vizcarrondo said that area high school athletes and people in "the muscle industry" were among Mansa's clients who purchased steroids.
Mansa also has boasted that he had been protected by members of several area police departments, including Danbury, New Milford and Wilton, allegations that town officials and police spokesmen in those towns have vehemently denied.
