TG1
Staff member
WILKES-BARRE — Two players, including a Columbia County probation officer, snared during the anabolic steroid bust known as “Operation Gym Candy” pleaded guilty Friday to felony charges.
Marc Laubach, 38, a probation officer at the time of his arrest, and his brother Brian Laubach, 38, both of Berwick, pleaded guilty to counts of involvement in a corrupt organization, dealing in the proceeds of illegal activity and manufacturing anabolic steroids.
Luzerne County Judge David W. Lupas accepted the pleas, which resulted in prosecutors dropping about a half-dozen charges against each man.
The brothers were among 13 people the state Attorney General’s Office busted in October 2014 at the conclusion on the gym candy operation.
Four current or former corrections officers and a local football star turned NFL hopeful were included in the bust.
The 17-month investigation targeted two transcontinental steroid rings involved in shipping hundreds of thousands of pills out of five Northeastern Pennsylvania counties and illegally selling prescription drugs. Three members — including Brian Laubach — imported raw materials from China and made the steroids at home, according to prosecutors.
Agents searching Brian Laubach’s home found more than 90,000 anabolic steroids pills, 2,800 vials, gallons of manufactured liquid anabolic steroids, kilos of raw anabolic steroids and $445,000 cash.
Prosecutors alleged he hid the proceeds of his business in his brother’s name.
After accepting their pleas, Lupas ruled the brothers can apply for the state’s Intermediate Punishment Program.
Sentencing was set for Oct. 4.
http://citizensvoice.com/news/2-in-steroid-bust-plead-guilty-1.2067383
Marc Laubach, 38, a probation officer at the time of his arrest, and his brother Brian Laubach, 38, both of Berwick, pleaded guilty to counts of involvement in a corrupt organization, dealing in the proceeds of illegal activity and manufacturing anabolic steroids.
Luzerne County Judge David W. Lupas accepted the pleas, which resulted in prosecutors dropping about a half-dozen charges against each man.
The brothers were among 13 people the state Attorney General’s Office busted in October 2014 at the conclusion on the gym candy operation.
Four current or former corrections officers and a local football star turned NFL hopeful were included in the bust.
The 17-month investigation targeted two transcontinental steroid rings involved in shipping hundreds of thousands of pills out of five Northeastern Pennsylvania counties and illegally selling prescription drugs. Three members — including Brian Laubach — imported raw materials from China and made the steroids at home, according to prosecutors.
Agents searching Brian Laubach’s home found more than 90,000 anabolic steroids pills, 2,800 vials, gallons of manufactured liquid anabolic steroids, kilos of raw anabolic steroids and $445,000 cash.
Prosecutors alleged he hid the proceeds of his business in his brother’s name.
After accepting their pleas, Lupas ruled the brothers can apply for the state’s Intermediate Punishment Program.
Sentencing was set for Oct. 4.
http://citizensvoice.com/news/2-in-steroid-bust-plead-guilty-1.2067383
