A pilot that was contracted by the Kaua’i Fire Department faces up to 50 years in prison for the personal possession of anabolic steroids. Kurt Ventura pleaded guilty to second-degree felony possession of the anabolic steroid oxandrolone, second-degree felony attempted possession of oxandrolone and the illegal use of drug paraphernalia.
The steroid possession and attempted steroid possession charges each carry a maximum sentence of 10 years and a $20,000 fine. The steroid paraphernalia charges carries a maximum sentence of 5 years and a $5,000 fine. However, Judge Kathleen Watanabe advised Ventura that an additional penalty applied to offenders who commit three felonies could potentially double jail time to 50 years!
So was Ventura a major international trafficker of anabolic steroids? Was he an operator of internet-based underground lab (UGL) that produced its own brand of steroids? Did he distribute thousands of units of steroids to teenagers? What type of crime did Ventura commit to warrant a possible 50 years incarceration?
Michael Green, the defense attorney for Ventura, has indicated he will argue during the pre-sentencing hearing that the steroids involved in his client’s case were intended solely for personal use. All accounts indicate that Ventura simply had a small personal quantity of steroids that could only be used for a single steroid cycle and a low-dose steroid cycle at that. An indictment filed on March 29, 2012 indicated that more than 100 tablets of Oxandrolone along with Testosterone were involved in the case.
Ventura only pleaded guilty to possession of 25 tablets of Oxandrolone and the attempted possession of 25 tablets of Oxandrolone. The charges for attempted the attempted possession of testosterone were dropped.
So, basically Ventura could conceivably go to jail for 50 years over 50 tablets of Anavar!
The penalties for steroid possession in Hawaii are clearly absurd. No one expects Ventura to serve significant jail time. However, the fact that such penalties are possible for mere steroid possession should raise questions about steroid sentencing in Hawaii.
Ventura, who was a pilot for Airbone Aviation, was contracted by the Kaua’i Fire Department to fly a county helicopter for use in air rescue and training. He has been prohibited from working on any contract involving the State pending the resolution of his steroid case.
Ventura’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Halloween on October 31, 2012.
Source:
LaVenture, T. (August 2, 2012). Pilot pleads guilty to steroids. Retrieved from http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/pilot-pleads-guilty-to-steroids/article_3f78d5b6-dc74-11e1-9c50-001a4bcf887a.html
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