The FBI investigation codenamed Operation Phony Pharm remains active and may seek to prosecute additional individuals selling anabolic steroids according to court documents recently filed in the U.S. District Court of Connecticut. Attorney Matthew Maddox publicly reveal prosecutors’ intentions in a March 9, 2009 sentencing memorandum filed on behalf of his client, Corey Stanford. This is surprising news since all nine defendants associated with Operation Phony Pharm have already pleaded guilty as of June 2008: Edwin F. Porter (June 2008), Brian S. Tompkins (June 3, 2008), Brian W. Jeffery (May 5, 2008), Corey Stanford (April 14, 2008), Tyler J. Lunn (March 24, 2008), Walter T. Corey (February 2008), Alan R. Blair (September 24, 2007), Matthew J. Peltz (September 27, 2007) and Hiroshige Cranney (May 21, 2007).

Corey Stanford (of Austin, Texas) was originally scheduled to be sentenced on July 7, 2008 well after all other Operation Phony Pharm defendants had pleaded guilty. Stanford’s plea agreement called for 8 to 14 months imprisonment; Stanford’s attorney did not feel a downward departure was warranted at the time. However, this all changed when sentencing was delayed for 9 months so that Stanford could engage in “an intensive cooperative relationship with the federal government.” This represented an unusual move for prosecutors who had secured guilty convictions for all indicted defendants. Operation Phony Pharm, by all appearances, appeared to be nearing its conclusion. This suggests that prosecutors in the United States Attorney’s Office in Connecticut may seek additional steroid-related indictments, possibly in Texas. Read more