A leader of an underground lab (UGL) manufacturing anabolic steroids based in Lake Charles (Louisiana) was sentenced to two years imprisonment. Jordan Berza, the co-owner of Planet Nutrition, was the organizer of a steroid distribution business that imported raw steroid powders from China and Germany and converted them into private label injectable steroids. Berza and his co-defendants, including his business partner Chris Gass at Planet Nutrition, manufactured and sold over 7,000 ten milliliter vials of various steroids such as testosterone and Deca Durabolin. The steroids were sold throughout the States of Louisiana and Texas. Prosecutors claimed that Planet Nutrition was used as a distribution point from which steroids were shipped to distributors.
Todd Clemons, Berza’s defense attorney, described his client as a “true American success story” who made some unfortunate youthful mistakes. Berza went to college on a football scholarship, earned an engineering degree, established a successful chain of sports nutrition and smoothie stores, got married and has a baby on the way. Unfortunately, Berza’s entreneurial savvy also helped him establish a successful but highly illegal UGL as well. Berza will now pay a steep price for his involvement in the illegal world of black market steroids.
“I think it’s unfortunate he’s going to miss the birth of his first child and his mother is really, really ill and is in hospice care now,” lamented Clemons.
Berza was emotional as United States District Judge Patricia Minaldi sentenced him to two years in prison. He was also fined an additional $12,000; law enforcement had previously seized $93,000 from the bank accounts of Berza and Gass as proceeds from illegal steroid sales. However, it could have been much worse; he faced up ten years in prison after pleading guilty to the conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids and money laundering charges in June 2011
Clemons argued that no one was harmed by the use of anabolic steroids distributed by Berza and his co-defendants. The buyers were simply young men interested in bodybuilding who used steroids cosmetically to enhance their physical appearance. The lawyer was confident that Berza would “land on his feet” due to the continued operation of Berza’s and Gass’ extremely profitable Planet Nutrition business.
Christopher Gass, Berza’s business partner in Jordan and Chris Nutrition LLC, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment and a $2000 fine for his involvement. Bryce Meaux, who was described by prosecutors as the mastermind behind the UGL, received a two-year prison sentence. All of the UGLs distributors (except for one) have been also been sentenced to prison.
Source:
Schmidt, T. (October 27, 2011). Berza sentenced for steroid distribution conspiracy & money laundering. Retrieved from http://www.kplctv.com/story/15895521/berza-sentenced-for-steroid-distribution-conspiracy-money-laundering
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