Operation Raw Deal Still Sending Steroid Dealers to Prison

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Operation Raw Deal, the 2007 steroid bust billed by the DEA as “the largest steroid enforcement action in United States history”, is still sending individuals to prison for steroid-related crimes. Warren Abramson was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty in January 2011 to five charges related to the distribution of anabolic steroids and the possession of unregistered firearm silencers.

Abramson was the owner and operator of the underground lab (UGL) named “LuxTech” which was busted back in 2007. For unknown reasons, a grand jury didn’t indict Abramson until June 2010. Abramson was a fugitive for almost three months before he was arrested in Las Vegas attempting to purchase a firearm.

In 2006 and 2007, defendant, through his steroid distribution company, LUXTECH, offered anabolic steroids for sale on the internet and sent vials of anabolic steroids to drug customers.

On September 20, 2007, in Los Angeles County, within the Central District of California, defendant knowingly possessed approximately 6403.9 grams of anabolic steroids, a Schedule III controlled substance. Defendant possessed the 6403.9 grams of anabolic steroids with the intent to deliver them to another person. Indeed, the 6403.9 grams of anabolic steroids possessed by defendant constituted a total of 246, 156 dosage units of a Schedule III controlled substance, as defined by the Sentencing Guidelines.

Further, in September 2007, defendant knowingly and intentionally leased, rented, used and maintained a place [in] Compton, California for the purpose of manufacturing and distributing controlled substance, including anabolic steroids.

The sentence was favorable given the size of the UGL (in terms of dosage units under federal sentencing guidelines), the involvement of firearms and the apparent attempt to flee prosecution.