Arraigned on charges
“Operation Bulk-Up” suspects who were arraigned Wednesday in Warren County Common Pleas Court.
• Joseph Lochard, 37, Hamilton, engaging in corrupt activity, trafficking in drugs (two charges), and possession of drugs (two charges).
• Phillip Payton, 23, Waynesville, possession of drugs (five charges).
• Joshua Haberstroh, 37, West Chester Twp., engaging in corrupt activity, aggravated trafficking in drugs (four charges), and trafficking in drugs (nine charges).
• Michael Lee, 43, Miamisburg, engaging in corrupt activity, trafficking in drugs (11 charges), illegal manufacture of drugs, aggravated possession of drugs, promoting drug abuse, endangering children, possession of drugs (three counts), and possession of dangerous drugs.
• Tim Mielke, 32, Cincinnati, engaging in corrupt activity, and trafficking in drugs (31 charges).
• Ryan Segerberg, 31, Goshen, engaging in corrupt activity, and possession of drugs (six charges).
• Brian Robinson, 36, Cincinnati, engaging in corrupt activity, having weapons under disability, and possession of drugs (five counts).
• Jessica Howard, 27, Cincinnati, engaging in corrupt activity and trafficking in drugs.
• Rick Cantrell, 41, Cincinnati, possession of drugs (two charges), and two counts of possession of dangerous drugs.
Suspects already arraigned or on bond:
• Bret Hebenstreit, 35, Cincinnati, was arraigned Monday on four charges of possession of drugs. He was released on his own recognizance.
• Matt Donohoe, 24, Cold Springs, Ky., was arraigned Tuesday on four charges of possession of drugs.
• Kenneth Freeman, 43, Manchester, Tenn., is free on a $25,000 fugitive bond, according to the Tullahoma (Tenn.) Times.
LEBANON — Eleven of the 32 people indicted in a multi-state anabolic steroid distribution network were arraigned Wednesday in Warren County Common Pleas Court.
And more will be arraigned later this week as well as more indictments may be handed down in the coming weeks, according to officials.
Maj. John Burke, commander of the Warren County Drug Task Force, said the nearly two-year investigation, called “Operation Bulk-Up,” has led to breaking up an anabolic steroid drug distribution ring that has been operating in several states for the past decade.
In addition to announcing the indictment of 32 suspects who collectively face 248 charges, nearly 100 weapons and anabolic steroids with a street value of about $600,000 were put on display Tuesday at the Warren County Sheriff’s Office as drug agents shared details of the investigation.
Burke said the investigation started with complaints about people selling the steroids to high school athletes at the Countryside YMCA, one of the largest Y facilities in the nation. The investigation took drug agents to Tennessee where a clandestine lab to where the steroid powder from China was manufactured into an injectable form.
Of those indicted, three were not identified as the investigation is ongoing and could involve at least two professional athletes, Burke said.
“We’re making progress and I feel confident they were involved,” Burke said. “There is one for sure but we’re not able to indict now.”
“This investigation isn’t over,” he said. “It’s taken us different ways but I am confident there will be more indictments.”
While the original focus started with high school students obtaining the drugs, Burke said the investigation moved to focus on the distribution chain. “I never thought this would go for almost two years,” he said.
“From what the undercover officer said, high school age folks were definitely involved, but we were never able to identify who they were or what school they were from,” Burke said. “It’s not something we get involved with because we deal with the highest level of drug trafficking.”
“We don’t think it’s a problem in Ohio,” said Tim Streid, spokesman for the Ohio High School Athletic Association that regulates 350,000 student-athletes. “If we do get information like that, we’d reach out to the schools to see what steps are being taken.”
Streid said Texas tested their high school athletes for steroids but found very few positives.
“We’re not interested in going down that road,” he said. Early on Wednesday, the Countryside YMCA issued a press release reiterating that none of alleged sales of steroids were made at its facility, one of the largest in the nation, and that no YMCA employees were involved or indicted as a result of the investigation.
Burke said an undercover officer did purchase steroids at the Urban Active facility in Deerfield Twp.
Coby DeVary, chief operating officer of Urban Active issued the following statement:
“Our Urban Active membership agreement specifically prohibits steroids and any other controlled substances in our fitness facilities, and we want to make it clear that the recent steroid ring bust did not involve Urban Active or any of our employees. The member that violated this provision has been indicted and his Urban Active membership has been terminated, consistent with our membership agreement.”
Burke said several of the indicted suspects were competitive bodybuilders or had a connection with area gyms and fitness centers.
Among those arraigned Wednesday were Matthew Geraci, who Drug Task Force investigators say was running a business distributing packages of steroids that were placed in lockers for buyers to pick up and drop off their payment; and Ronald Herbort, 45, of Amelia, who investigators say “was at the top of the food chain” of the distribution network and who was Geraci’s “sole supplier.”
Geraci, 37, Cincinnati, is accused of engaging in corrupt activity, trafficking in drugs (28 charges), and possession of drugs.
Herbort is accused of engaging in corrupt activity, trafficking in drugs (12 charges); and possession of drugs (six charges).
Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell said additional arraignments are scheduled for Friday morning.
Also scheduled for video arraignment were:
One of the suspects, Tina Reifenberger, 26, of Middletown was arrested Tuesday by federal DEA agents in Casper, Wyo. She was indicted on charges of engaging in corrupt activity and trafficking in drugs (six charges).
Burke said Reifenberger helped to arrange the drug deals. He said she had just been fired from a club in Casper where she was working at the past few months. He said she was arrested at the adjacent motel she was staying at.
Burke said the last suspect, Cory McIntosh, 28, of Maineville, was arrested late Wednesday afternoon.
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