Mikal Gunn Schrage aka Maverick, of Nixa, Missouri, pleaded guilty to steroid-related charges in an agreement with federal prosecutors on Friday, July 18, 2008, Mikal Schrage was indicted as part of Operation Raw Deal (and regionally under Operation Juice Box) in 2007 on 26 counts related to possession, conspiracy importation, manufacture and distribution of anabolic steroids as well as money laundering. Even with a plea agreement, Maverick still faces significant prison time and financial penalties (”Nixa man admits role in steroid conspiracy,” July 19).

Under federal statutes, Schrage could be subject to a sentence of 28 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $1 million. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

Schrage was the owner of an underground lab in Missouri that imported raw steroid powder from China and manufactured steroids for distribution on the Internet and elsewhere under the label Powerline Laboratories (PL); Powerline was purportedly a Mexican veterinarian pharmaceutical company complete with Spanish text on the labels. Powerline advertised various oral and injectable anabolic steroid products such as PL Oxandrozolic and PL PowerTest 400 on website at ‘powerlinemex.com’ and ‘powerline.com.mx’. Maverick also owned various bodybuilding websites such as ‘renegademuscle.com’ and ‘meatheadz.com’ and had many connections in the world of bodybuilding. (more…)