The Steroid Conspiracy and Shane Carwin, an In-Depth Look

On Friday, August 13th, it was revealed that UFC fighter Shane Carwin's name was listed in connection with a nationwide illegal steroid ring. Since then, very little has been reported or investigated about the case by the MMA media for whatever reason. Thus, with the lack of information presented by MMA media and my curious nature, I decided to conduct my own research. The following information was received from various sources, most notably Brendan Kirby, the writer of the breaking AL.com story, and from the actual court documents including the formerly-sealed indictments and testimony from witnesses and government officials sworn under oath.

The Participants:

• J. Michael Bennett - The supervising pharmacist at Applied Pharmacy Services, Inc. (APS) from 2003 until his arrest. As supervising pharmacist, Bennett oversaw the compounding and filling of many orders for anabolic steroids - including veterinary steroids not approved for human use -- and other drugs to various doctors, clinics, and users, including those under the age of 21.

• Brett W. Branch - The owner of Infinite Health, an Internet-based business, operated out of his home in Eaton, Colo. Branch allegedly recruited customers at gyms, health center, sports clubs, spas and other locations around his area including running ads. Branch also allegedly received steroids and other drugs at his home to distribute to his customers.

• Dr. Kelly Tucker - A physician, and convicted sex offender, who worked for Infinite Health as a consulting physician. He later bought 5% of the business. Tucker was one of three doctors who signed the prescriptions of Branch's customers. Tucker is the physician listed on the prescriptions of UFC fighter Shane Carwin. Tucker pleaded guilty in July of 2009.

• Shane Carwin - A novice Mixed Martial Artist allegedly looking to gain an advantage through the use of illegal steroids. According to Dr. Tucker's testimony, Carwin met with Branch and received several prescriptions written by Branch (a non-licensed physician) and signed by Dr. Tucker. Carwin then received the various packages of steroids after purchase. This occurred during a period from January 2006 to August 2006 when Applied Pharmacy Services was raided. Mr. Carwin also competed in 4 MMA fights during this time period.

More information after the jump

The Steroids:

• Trenbolone  - An animal steroid used by veterinarians on livestock to increase muscle growth and appetite. Bodybuilders and athletes have been known to use the drug illicitly in order to increase body mass more effectively than by weight training alone.
• Stanozolol  - Commonly sold under the name Winstrol (oral) and Winstrol Depot (intramuscular), it is a synthetic anabolic steroid derived from testosterone, and has been approved by the FDA for human use. Stanozolol is usually considered the preferred choice for female bodybuilders as it preserves the feminine characteristics unlike many other steroids.
• Nandrolone - An anabolic steroid used in the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women to promote muscle growth, appetite stimulation and increased red blood cell production and bone density. It can also cause gynaecomastia (male breasts), reduced libido, erectile dysfunction and cardiovascular damage
• Anastrozole - It is effective in the off-label use of reducing estrogens in men. Excess estradiol in men can cause benign prostatic hyperplasia, gynecomastia, and symptoms of hypogonadism. Some athletes and body builders will also use anastrozole as a part of their steroid cycle to reduce and prevent symptoms of excess estrogens; in particular, gynecomastia and water retention.
• Testosterone  - While it is a naturally occurring hormone, high dosages of testosterone are given to improve performance by enhancing muscle development, strength, or endurance, and is considered to be a form of doping in most sports.
• HGH and HCG - HGH is human growth hormone used to promote muscle growth. HCG (or human chorionic gonadatropin) is used to maintain and restore testicle size and function that has been greatly reduced by steroid usage. Both of these drugs are used within a steroid "stack" to offset and enhance the effects of steroids.

The Conspiracy:

Brett Branch would allegedly recruit potential customers at various locations around Colorado. For a fee of $395 users allegedly consulted with Mr. Branch who, as stated earlier, is not a physician. Branch would allegedly determine what steroids and supplemental drugs would be needed in each users stack. It is thought that Shane Carwin met with Mr. Branch who allegedly recommended to him the drugs listed above and then allegedly filled out the prescription. Part of the conspiracy involved three Colorado doctors including Dr. Kelly Tucker.

Dr. Tucker and the rest would allegedly receive a flat fee of $100 dollars from Mr. Branch in order to sign the steroid prescriptions. These doctors would either blindly sign the prescriptions or have a short meeting with the customer. While it is known that Dr. Tucker was the physician who signed off on Carwin's prescriptions, it is unknown whether they met in the office or whether these were blindly signed. The following is the government evidence when Dr. Tucker pleaded guilty as a term of the plea agreement*.

• On or about January 18, 2006, Branch completed a prescription form and recommended to TUCKER that S.C., a 31 year old male, should receive Testosterone Blend (ICED), Trenbolone Acetate, Stanozolol, HGH, and Anastrozole, with three refills. TUCKER signed the prescription and faxed it to APS. J. Mallory Mallon filled the order, which included three vials of Testosterone Blend (ICED), three vials of Trenbolone Acetate, three vials of Stanozolol, and 30 capsules of Anastrozole. S.C. paid $530.45 for the drugs. The HGH was filled at a later time.

• On or about April 7, 2006, Branch completed another prescription form and recommended to TUCKER that S.C. should receive Testosterone Blend (ICED), Nandrolone Decanoate, Stanozolol, and Anastrozole, with six refills. TUCKER authorized the prescription which was faxed to APS. On or about April 12, 2006, J. Mallory Mallon filled the order, except for the Testosterone Blend (ICED). The drugs cost $207.50.

• On or about May 1, 2006, S.C. requested and received refills of Testosterone Blend (ICED), Nandrolone Decanoate, Stanozolol, and Anastrozole from APS. The refill order was filled by J. Mallory Mallon. S.C. was charged $235.75. The next day, on or about May 2, 2006, S.C. requested and received another vial of Stanozolol. J. Mallory Mallon filled the order and S.C. paid $26.75 for the drug.

• On or about May 11, 2006, Branch filled out a prescription form recommending that TUCKER prescribe HCG, with one refill, for S.C. TUCKER approved the prescription and faxed it to APS. The prescription was placed 'on hold.'

• On or about June 5, 2006, Branch prepared a prescription form recommending that TUCKER prescribe HCG and Vitamin B 12, with three refills, for S.C. TUCKER signed the prescription form and faxed it to APS. The prescription was placed 'on hold.' Two days later, on or about June 7, 2006, S.C. requested and received the following drugs, which were either initial fills or refills: Testosterone Blend (ICED), Nandrolone Decanoate, two vials of Stanozolol, Anastrozole, HCG, and Vitamin B12 injections. J. Mallory Mallon filled the order, which cost $301.50.

• On or about June 13, 2006, S.C. received three vials of the HGH that had been placed 'on hold.' S.C. paid $442.64 for the HGH. 

• On or about July 31, 2006, S.C. requested and received refills of the Testosterone Blend (ICED), Nandrolone Decanoate, two vials of Stanozolol, Anastrozole, HCG, and Vitamin B 12.  J. Mallory Mallon filled the order, and S.C. paid $301.50 for the drugs.

• On August 4, 2006, Branch completed a prescription form and recommended to TUCKER that S.C. receive Anastrozole. TUCKER authorized the prescription, which was faxed to APS.

• On or about August 21, 2006, S.C. requested and received refills of the Testosterone Blend (ICED), Nandrolone Decanoate, two vials of Stanozolol, Anastrozole, and Vitamin B12.  J. Michael Bennett filled the order and S.C. was charged $294.50 for the drugs.

* Mr. Carwin's name was introduced into the released documents as S.C due to the Court's protective order. Shane Carwin was also 31 in 2006. 

The signed prescriptions were then faxed to J. Michael Bennett at APS in Mobile, Ala. At that point, he then filled the prescriptions without meeting with the patient. He sent the filled prescriptions by Federal Express to either the customer's address, the physician's address or Mr. Branch's address. In the case of Shane Carwin, it is said that they were sent to his home address.  What Mr. Carwin then did with those illegal steroids is unknown, but it is assumed that he used them.

Mr. Branch started off as a sales agent at the beginning of this conspiracy making $5,000 a month. Presumably due to Mr. Branch's sales of a large amount of illegal prescriptions for steroids, APS then gave Mr. Branch a company vehicle allowance and a 25% commission on all drugs sold to Infinite Health customers.

Mr. Branch's operation was just one of many similar rackets going on in several states across the nation including Arizona, California, Texas, Washington, Colorado, Louisiana, New York, New Jersey, South Carolina, and Florida.

The investigation:

The DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) along with several other government organizations began to investigate APS and its satellite offices. Through witness corroboration, they were able to obtain wiretap and listened in on thousands of phone calls between APS and its satellite offices including several conversations with Mr. Branch. They were also able to intercept faxes including prescriptions for steroids and receipts of purchase.

It is illegal to write prescriptions for steroids for anything other than a valid medical reason as well as it is illegal to knowingly fill that prescription. There was no valid medical reason in the court's eyes. In addition, it is illegal to write and fill prescriptions for patients that you have not met or examined their individual medical histories. Furthermore, it is illegal to prescribe, for any reason, anabolic steroids not intended for, or approved by the FDA to use on, human beings.

From the information obtained via wiretap and intercepted faxes, the DEA was able to obtain search warrants. In August 2006 (the last time it was stated that Mr. Carwin received illegal steroids), APS and several satellite offices. DEA agents seized steroids and other drugs as well as paperwork listing names of clients. They also mirrored the hard drives located at each office to obtain that data.

From the information received and other evidence obtained later through various means, a federal indictment against most of the key players in this investigation was filed on September 25^th, 2008. Dr. Tucker himself pled guilty and received 21 months in jail. Mr. Branch's case is still pending and J. Michael Bennett was found guilty and sentenced to four years in prison on Friday.

The reason why Mr. Carwin's name, along with other famous names, were identified and released is due to federal sentencing guidelines. In what is called an "enhancement", if it can be proven that that steroid distribution included professional athletes, the defendants in the case, if convicted, could receive a harsher sentence. As you probably know, federal cases are subject to federal sentencing guidelines which offer a recommendation (which is not always adhered to) for sentencing.

Mr. Carwin is not under indictment, nor investigation. The likelihood of Carwin facing any type of charges is pretty slim. It is also unlikely that Carwin is called as a witness in any further case as his involvement was limited to Bennett and Tucker (both of whom have already been convicted) and Branch.

Conclusion:

There is almost no denying that Shane Carwin received illegally obtained steroids from APS and Infinite Health from a period of January 2006-August 2006. This has been shown in various documents seized in the raids of August 30^th, 2006. It has also been shown in Dr. Tucker's testimony as part of his guilty plea. It is also possible that signed prescriptions that were faxed by Dr. Tucker or Mr. Branch with Shane Carwin's name on it were intercepted by the DEA when the lines were tapped. Before this period, Shane Carwin fought in a WEC Heavyweight match on October 14^th, 2005 against Carlton Jones (230 lbs). During this period, a mere five months later at Extreme Wars 2, Carwin fought Casey Jackson as a superheavyweight. Also during that time Carwin received the illegal steroids, he fought in an additional three mixed martial arts events as superheavyweight at the weight of 285-290 pounds. 

After APS and Infinite Health were raided and brought down, Mr. Carwin took a break from MMA for over 15 months before returning to fight Rex Richards at or under the 265 lb limit for heavyweight fighters. After picking up the win against Richards and a subsequent HW fight against Rick Slaton, Carwin moved to the UFC which has more stringent testing and weighed in for his debut at 252 lbs against Christian Wellisch. Carwin then went up to 264 lbs for his fight against Neil Wain in London at UFC 89. It should be noted that there are no athletic commissions in London and the UFC handled the drug testing of a select group of individuals. Chris Leben did fail his test at this event. Back in the U.S. against Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 96, Carwin weighed in at 257 lbs before going back up to the HW limit of 265 at UFC 111 versus Frank Mir and UFC 116 in his submission loss to Brock Lesnar. Shane Carwin has not failed any drug tests administered to him.

 According to the evidence presented in federal court, it is said that he has received illegal steroids on a number of occasions during a time period in which he mounted an impressive run of fights. The purpose of this is not to judge Mr. Carwin, but to present evidence and information as it was revealed in court and presented to me, as well as presenting supplemental information to inform the reader as to the background and details of the case.

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