David Edward Retter and Jason Hobbs have been connected to the underground lab known as Hell Fire Labs. Mary Beth Buchanan and Mary Houghton, prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, are prepared to files charges of conspiring to distribute anabolic steroids against up to four individuals in connection with Hell Fire Labs. These include David Retter (Vandergrift, Pennsylvania), Jason Hobbs aka “Heretic” (Auburn, Washington), Kris Mealer (Timbo, Arkansas), an individual thus far only identified as “Freak” (Indianaopolis, Indiana) (”Charges link Westmoreland lab with nationwide steroids sales,” May 13).
“I’ve never been in trouble before in my life,” Retter said. “Believe me, I’m no big steroid dealer.” [...]
“I was out of the thing for 12 months before they even called me,” Retter said. The criminal information filed Monday against Retter accuses him of being part of the ring from May 2006 to February 2008. [...]
Houghton said the lab equipment and products Mealer got from Vandergrift included steroid powders, bottles, seals, crimpers, flasks, glassware and heating plates. A co-conspirator known as “Freak,” who lives in Indianapolis, sent Mealer e-mail addresses for 250 customers, Houghton said.
The other accused member of the ring lived in Auburn, Wash., Houghton said.
Kristen Mealer, the most recent owner/operator of the underground steroid lab known as “Hell Fire Labs”, has pleaded guilty today to a single count of conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids. Federal agents had raided Kris Mealer’s Arkansas home, his gym Stone County Fitness Center, and a warehouse. Agents discovered 400 grams of raw steroid powder and 6,626 mL of liquid steroids during the steroid bust. Mealer admitted to distributing 185,029 dosage units of various anabolic steroids (”Feds say national steroid ring had Western Pa. connections,” May 12).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Houghton said Mealer agreed to join the steroid ring known as “Hell Fire Labs” in January 2007 and that his participation continued until federal agents busted the operation in February 2008.
Agents raided Mealer’s Arkansas home and fitness center, Stone County Fitness Center. They also raided a warehouse, where Houghton said they discovered an “operational, underground anabolic steroid lab.”
Houghton said the lab was provided by a co-conspirator in Vandergrift in order to convert steroid powder into a usable liquid form. She said another ring member in Indianapolis provided Mealer with 250 e-mail addresses for customers, who ranged from Western Pennsylvania to Washington.
Hell Fire Labs was founded prior to 2006 and previously based in Vandergrift, Pennsylvania. Hell Fire Labs started with the distribution of DNP and other non-controlled ancillary medications. They eventually expanded their product line to include various oral and injectable anabolic steroids. Read more
