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Sheriff's sergeant suspended in steroid probe
Inspectors say they found package with steroids addressed to Chambless
Thursday, December 30, 2004
By JOE DANBORN and JEB SCHRENK
The Mobile Register
A sergeant in the Mobile County Sheriff's Department has been placed on
paid administrative leave amid a federal probe involving shipments of
anabolic steroids, controlled substances that can be illegal to possess
without a valid prescription.
Grant Chambless was removed from duty Dec. 22, a day after U.S. Postal
Service inspectors found a package addressed to him containing suspected
steroids, according to federal affidavits attached to a pair of search
warrants in the case.
Sheriff Jack Tillman told the Mobile County Personnel Board that Chambless
would be suspended for 30 days pending the outcome of an internal
investigation, according to documents provided by the Sheriff's
Department.
Chambless, a Semmes resident, could not be reached for comment. The Mobile
Register was unable to confirm whether he has hired a lawyer. No charges
have been filed in the case.
A Sheriff's Department spokesman and U.S. Postal Inspector Mike Willis of
Mobile both referred questions to the U.S. attorney's office, where
officials declined to comment, citing Justice Department policy against
discussing ongoing investigations.
Tillman last month asked the Personnel Board for a six-month extension of
probation for Chambless for conduct unbecoming an employee, according to
documents the Sheriff's Department provided. It was unclear what that
conduct entailed or how long Chambless had been on probation.
According to federal court documents, postal inspectors in Mobile received
a search warrant Dec. 20 to open a package addressed to a man named Blayne
Gardner of Wilmer, with a return address in San Antonio. One affidavit
describes the city as a source for steroids produced in Mexico and
eventually mailed to buyers elsewhere in the United States.
The box sent to Gardner contained 10 bottles of a clear liquid that
investigators believe were steroids, the affidavit states.
Reached Wednesday evening, Gardner had no comment other than to say he had
been told not to talk about the case.
After opening the box addressed to Gardner, investigators placed it back
in his P.O. Box at the Semmes post office Dec. 20, and it was gone the
following day, prompting postal inspectors to set up surveillance, the
affidavit states.
On Dec. 21, a similar package addressed to Chambless arrived at the post
office, and the inspectors got a search warrant to open it as well, the
documents state. Investigators believe both packages came from an
apparently bogus company listing a vacant house in a residential
neighborhood of San Antonio.
The 2-pound, 11-ounce box sent to Chambless contained four bottles
believed to contain Winstrol Depot, two suspected of being Trenbolone and
two more of what was thought to be testosterone cypionate, along with a
liquid dropper, documents filed with the search warrant state. All three
are well-known steroids often legally prescribed by doctors treating
terminally ill patients, according to Gus Rethwisch, president of the
World Association of Bench and Dead Lifters, a Minnesota-based
weightlifting group in which Chambless has participated.
"Those are pretty common, not designer stuff," Rethwisch said. "These are
the old standbys. They've been around for years."
The association tests a small percentage of its participants for such
drugs, but only the most competitive, he said. There is no record of
Chambless having passed or failed such a test, Rethwisch said.
"His lifting is not that good, to be honest with you," Rethwisch said,
perusing Chambless' marks.
On Dec. 22, postal employees delivered the box to Chambless' house on Sky
Vista Drive West off Howells Ferry Road and Snow Road, the second
affidavit states. They then served a search warrant for the property.
Among the items listed in the four-page search warrant return were the
package from San Antonio -- found in a shed behind the house -- and:
Chambless' county-issued, .40-caliber Glock pistol and three full 15-round
clips, as well as his badge and the key to his patrol car;
Six other pistols, three shotguns, two rifles and a stun gun;
Credit card, bank and cell phone statements and a notebook;
Chambless' computer, which federal paperwork notes that he surrendered
voluntarily.
Chambless has been a law enforcement officer in the area since at least
1992, when he was with the Mobile Police Department. He earned accolades
in 1995 when he helped run down a bank robber.
In 2001, after joining the Sheriff's Department, Chambless was promoted to
corporal. He earned an official commendation in 2002 and the combat cross
for heroism while engaged in personal combat with an armed adversary in
2003.
Chambless was placed on administrative leave for a week in March of this
year after shooting a man who pointed a gun at him following a high-speed
chase through south Mobile County, according to reports. The man was not
killed, and departmental investigators ruled the shooting justified.
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Sheriff's deputy resigns amid probe into steroids
The Mobile Register
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
By SUSAN DAKER AND BRENDAN KIRBY
al.com
A Mobile County Sheriff's sergeant will resign this week amid a federal
investigation involving shipments of anabolic steroids, controlled
substances that are illegal to possess without a prescription.
Grant Chambless was placed on administrative leave in December, a day
after U.S. Postal Service inspectors found a package addressed to him
containing suspected steroids, according to federal affidavits.
"It was my decision to resign, and I have not been charged with anything,
Chambless of Semmes said Tuesday.
Chambless' resignation goes into effect Saturday, said Christina Bowersox,
a Mobile County sheriff's office spokeswoman. According to Mobile County
Personal Board records, Chambless' paid administrative leave ended July 1
the same day he submitted his letter of resignation to the Sheriff's
Office.
U.S. Postal Inspector Mike Willis said no charges have been brought
against Chambless.
"That decision has not been made," he said Tuesday.
Prosecutors from the U.S. attorney's office, which would decide whether to
bring charges, declined Tuesday to speculate on when that decision might
be made. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Cherry said he was aware Chambless
no longer works for the sheriff's department but declined further comment.
"All I can tell you right now is it's still under investigation," he said.
When media reports of the investigation broke, Mobile County Sheriff Jack
Tillman held a news conference and said that he wanted to look at setting
up random steroid testing of all his employees. Tillman said he wasn't
sure how the department would pay for the screening.
Bowersox said Tuesday that Tillman, a strong proponent of drug testing for
high school students involved in extra-curricular activities, supports
testing for public servants including sheriff's deputies, firefighters and
other law enforcement agents. But, she said, the sheriff understands that
finding the funding to pay for the testing remains a challenge. Until the
sheriff's department determines what kind of funding it has for the 2006
fiscal year it cannot commit to any new programs, Bowersox said.
During the Dec. 31 news conference, Tillman said that Chambless was the
only deputy known to be involved in the investigation. On Dec. 21, a
package addressed to Chambless arrived at the post office and, with a
search warrant, inspectors found eight bottles of three different types of
well-known steroids, federal court documents said.
Investigators believe the package came from an apparently bogus company
that listed a vacant house in San Antonio as its address, an affidavit
said.
One affidavit describes San Antonio as a source for steroids produced in
Mexico and distributed to buyers in the United States.
Chambless began his law enforcement career in 1992 in Mobile as a police
officer for the city. He earned accolades in 1995 when he helped chase and
capture a bank robber.
In 2001, after joining the Sheriff's Office, Chambless was promoted to
corporal. He earned an official commendation in 2002. In 2003, he was
presented the combat cross for heroism for having "engaged in personal
combat with an armed adversary."
Chambless was placed on administrative leave for a week last year after
shooting a man during a high-speed chase through south Mobile County. The
man was not killed and the Sheriff's Office ruled the shooting justified.
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[Definitie:] "An ergogenic aid is any substance or phenomenon that enhances performance."
(Wilmore and Costill) 
