The general public takes comfort in blaming anabolic steroids for violent and abhorrent crimes. The media is quick to find such associations given their tendency towards steroid demonization and steroid hysteria. The latest instance involves child abuse by Anthony Badalamenti in which the perpetrator has been linked to anabolic steroids, the violent beating has been referred to as an example of roid rage, and his behavior has been compared to the Chris Benoit tragedy.
The New York Daily News reports that Anthony Badalamenti obtained anabolic steroids and human growth hormone (HGH) in 2006 from Lowen’s Pharmacy which were prescribed to him by Dr. Richard Lucente (who is under investigation for writing precriptions for performance enhancing drugs) (”Long Island bodybuilder linked to Mitchell Report pharmacy,” November 4).
“I don’t know if this was ‘roid rage, but this sure reminds me of Chris Benoit,” said the source, referring to the professional wrestler who had steroids in his system when he killed his wife and son before committing suicide in 2007.
An IFBB pro bodybuilder convicted of GHB/GBL distribution and sentenced to over 10 years in prison was released early due to his history of steroid use and his muscle dysmorphia. Ironically, Justin Rys’ steroid use and participation in bodybuilding worked to his benefit in the New Zealand criminal justice system!!
A New Zealand “3 News” video report describes how “megarexia” and Rys’ desire to become a pro bodybuilder caused him to become addicted to GHB/GBL (aka Fantasy) and start illegally importing GHB/GBL (”Mr. Big,” September 29).
Some people become addicted to alcohol, some addicted to gambling. Justin is addicted to weight gain, an addiction labelled megarexic. His addiction saw him thrown in jail for importing illegal drugs with a $2 million street value, all intended for himself, in his attempt to become a champion bodybuilder.
The defense team of NPC bodybuilder Thomas Vigliatura used the “steroids made me crazy” defense in Vigliatura’s GHB/GBL distribution trial. (”Vigliatura says he’s changed,” March 30)
At the same time. Mr. Vigliatura’s life “was a merry-go-round of alcohol abuse, substance abuse and, most horrifically, the conduct detailed in the indictment,” Mr. Sinnis said. Mr. Vigliatura suffered from physical and psychiatric symptoms as a result of androgenic-anabolic steroids he began using in 1990 in connection with body building, Mr. Sinnis said.
And the steroid money quote…
The steroids left him with permanent severe cognitive deficits, according to excerpts of a neuropsychology report commissioned by the defense. But it noted that he has greatly recovered, perhaps fully, from the psychological and mood effects of the steroids and it predicted an ability “to return to a fulfilling and gainful life in society.”
The steroid insanity defense. Damn those steroids. Damn those steroids!!
Former NPC Bodybuilder Tom Vigliatura has been falsely accused of selling steroids by reporter Lee Hammel of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette newspaper in Massachusetts. However, I am certain that this false accusation is the least of Thomas Vigliatura’s concerns; Vigliatura has been in prison since August 2005. He was sentenced this week to 51 months in federal prison and ordered to forfeit his home and his defunct supplement store, T. Vig’s Sports Supplements Unlimited for selling Ecstasy, Cocaine and GHB – but NOT steroids (”Bodybuilder gets 51 months, forfeits home and business,” March 24).
Thomas J. Vigliatura, 40, of 118 Santoro Road, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy from 2002 to 2004 to distribute illegal steroids known as GHB and GBL and to possess cocaine and Ecstasy as well as distribution of GBL and GHB.
Reporter Lee Hammel wants to throw in steroid distribution as one of the charges when he erroneously identifies GHB and GBL as steroids. It upsets me that so many reporters remain blissfully ignorant about anabolic steroids and fail to perform even basic fact checking when it comes to basic questions like “what are anabolic steroids?” Why should reporters stick to the facts? Maybe Hammel just assumed that he was selling anabolic steroids since, after all, Vigliatura was a competitive bodybuilder.
Anabolic steroids are already being demonized by the current tidal wave of steroid hysteria permeating the United States. There is no need to false associate steroids to a criminal case involving cocaine and ecstasy, police corruption and threats against a federal prosecutor that has nothing to do with steroids. But anything to further demonize steroids must be the new journalistic standard?
Thanks to reporter Lee Hammel, the Associated Press has picked up the story and syndicated it nationally using Hammel’s inaccurate reporting regarding steroids (”Bodybuilder sentenced on drug charges,” March 25).
Thomas Vigliatura pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to distribute illegal steroids and possession of cocaine and Ecstasy…
Information from: Telegram & Gazette, http://www.telegram.com
The distribution of drugs like cocaine, ecstasy, and GHB has been a different enterprise from the distribution of anabolic steroids. (Although this distinction is starting to disappear as the federal steroid witch hunt threatens to push the entire steroid market completely underground.) The differences in cocaine/ecstasy/GHB distribution and anabolic steroid distribution is highlighted by the former group’s reluctance to testify or “snitch” on co-conspirators and the latter group’s widespread and eager willingness to “rat out” co-conspirators in exchange for leniency (”Bodybuilder’s sentence is bulked up by judge: six months,” July 27, 2007).
[Thomas J. Vigliatura] reiterated his contention that he refused to testify out of fear of reprisal to himself and his family…
“In no way was I trying to attempt to impede justice in any way,” Mr. Vigliatura told the judge before sentencing. “Most of you don’t know what it’s like where I live.”
Mr. Vigliatura’s real concern is his “reputation as a stand-up guy…”
Mr. Vigliatura did not want to be known as “a cooperator, snitch, rat, informant.”
Steroid dealers and distributors have not historically had the same concerns. But the federal war on steroids is close to succeeding at making the underground anabolic steroid market more dangerous than ever before for steroid users and steroid dealers alike.
