Two men from Mahoning County were charged in federal court with illegally importing anabolic steroids from China, U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon said.
James A. Cleeland, 50, of Berlin Center, and Christopher M. Stanec, aka Michael Stanec, aka Mark Conner, 40, of Canfield, were charged in a one-count information with conspiracy to import and distribute steroids.
Cleeland and Conner conspired with other people to import and to possess with intent to distribute 298.3 grams or more of anabolic steroids. This took place in 2013, according to the information.
It was part of the conspiracy that Stanec and Cleeland imported anabolic steroids from sources located in China. It was further part of the conspiracy that Stanec agreed to receive the anabolic steroids from China and then provide them to Cleeland, according to the information.
If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including each defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentences will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason M. Katz.
An information is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
