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DEA steroid arrests top 100
By Jennifer Sullivan
Seattle Times
September 25, 2007
The federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced Monday the arrest of 124 people in what it
considers the largest investigation into illegal steroids in U.S. history.
Among those arrested are four people from Western Washington.
Agents working as part of "Operation Raw Deal" arrested four people in Aberdeen on Thursday, said Rhett
Fonseca, DEA spokesman. Other arrests were made in California, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Rhode Island,
Missouri and Connecticut.
Investigators plan to make another 19 arrests, according to a DEA news release.
Fonseca said that Ray Ross of Aberdeen "was receiving the steroids from China and distributing it to San
Diego and other states."
Ross, owner of Samar Labs, was charged federally with one count of conspiracy to import anabolic steroids,
Fonseca said. Authorities said he obtained "raw steroid powder from sources primarily located in China,"
court charging papers said.
Steroids were produced at the Samar Labs in Aberdeen, then shipped out, charging papers said.
Three other Aberdeen residents were arrested, including a relative of Ross' for investigation of possession
of human-growth hormones. The two others are men who worked with Ross. One was arrested for investigation of
attempt to destroy evidence, and the other was arrested for investigation of possession of steroids.
Operation Raw Deal focused on the global underground trade of anabolic steroids, human growth hormones and
insulin growth factor.
Investigators also looked into the underground trafficking of ancillary and counterfeit medications, the DEA
said. Agents targeted raw-material manufacturers and suppliers in China and other countries; underground
anabolic laboratories in the United States, Canada and Mexico; and numerous U.S.-based Web sites distributing
materials, or conversion kits, necessary to convert raw steroid powders into finished product.
Agents also examined Internet bodybuilding discussion boards where people can learn how to find, purchase and
use performance-enhancing drugs, including anabolic steroids, the DEA said. Many of the underground steroids
labs targeted in the case advertise and are endorsed on these message boards.
Investigators closed down 56 steroid labs across the U.S. and seized $6.5 million, 25 vehicles, three boats,
27 pill presses and 71 weapons. Agents in Aberdeen seized numerous steroid products, a new boat, firearms
and about $4,330 in cash.
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Four Harborites arrested in steroid bust
By Paula Horton
Daily Word
September 25, 2007
[Fragment]
Ross worked with two other defendants “to receive raw steroid powders” from China that
he then used to manufacture anabolic steroids at his SAMAR Lab, according to charging
documents.
Ross and his wife, Lesley, 32, were arrested early Thursday morning after DEA and local
law enforcement agents raided their one-story home in west Aberdeen. While the arrests
occurred Thursday and investigation continued over the weekend, the DEA made no
announcements until Monday.
Items seized at three locations searched on the Harbor included numerous steroid products,
a tableting press, a newly purchased boat, a .50-caliber sniper rifle, a .223 rifle,
a Glock handgun, a shotgun and about $4,300 in cash, the DEA said.
Lesley Ross was arrested on possession of human growth hormone. She had no comment when
reached by phone Monday night. Ray Ross could not be reached for comment.
Two others arrested on the Harbor Thursday were Joshua Allan Springer, 25, and Jeff Carl
Thompson, 30, both of Montesano.
Springer was arrested for possession of steroids. Thompson was arrested for attempt to
destroy evidence. It’s not yet known if Lesley Ross, Springer and Thompson will be charged
in state or federal court. They were booked in the Grays Harbor County Jail and released
pending further investigation.
Ray Ross was taken by DEA agents to the federal detention facility in King County and has
since been released, according to Grays Harbor Undersheriff Rick Scott. The Grays Harbor
Drug Task Force was contacted in Feburary to assist in the investigation.
“We were asked to act as their eyes and ears here,” Scott said. “What’s unique about this
is that normally the people we target in drug investigations have had a lot of contact
with police and have generally extensive criminal history. In this particular case …
none of these people were known to police because of criminal history or prior contacts.”
Ray Ross was reportedly operating the SAMAR Lab out of his garage. The 744-square-foot garage
was recently built in back of the circa 1923 1,324-square-foot house, according to the Grays
Harbor Assessor’s Office. The Aberdeen Avenue property was assessed at $84,240.
Neighbors say they were shocked to hear the “quiet family” was involved in the steroid bust.
Lesley Ross sells office supplies and Ray Ross was reportedly unemployed because of a back
injury. They were in the process of remodeling the Midway Tavern on Myrtle Street, one neighbor
said.
“They seemed like normal people to me,” the woman said. “I didn’t know anything.”
An neighbor who lives kitty-corner to the Rosses said about a month ago he woke up in the middle
of the night, looked out the window and saw cameras being installed on nearby utility poles.
He didn’t know they were focused on the Ross’ home.
“They’ve always been quiet people — good people,” he said. “It’s still totally surprising. They
don’t seem to be that type of people.”
Keith Crowell, Lesley Ross’ ex-husband, said he often wondered how they were able to afford all
the things they were buying and doing, but he didn’t ever suspect they were involved in anything
illegal.
“It was a complete shock to me,” said Crowell, who is also Springer’s uncle. “Ray’s a big guy,
but he doesn’t look like he lifts weights or anything. … It’s just a real surprise.”
The federal investigation began in July of 2005, just a month after Ray Ross filed for Chapter
7 bankruptcy. Ross said he had about $6,500 in personal property — $6,000 from a Labor & Industries
claim. He listed nearly $18,000 in unsecured debt and just $1,083 income from L&I.
Ross, who wasn’t married to Lesley at the time, reported previous annual income of about $23,000
in 2003 and $21,180 in 2004, bankruptcy documents show.
According to federal charging documents, Ray Ross manufactured the steroids in his garage lab and
distributed it to GA Labs, which was one of his largest bulk steroid customers.
Goran Crnila and Joshua Travis Phillips are partners in GA Labs and ran a Web site that included
bodybuilding discussion boards promoting the illicit use and distribution of anabolic steroids,
human growth hormone and Insulin Growth Factor by providing a virtual marketplace, the court
papers say. The Web site forum had more than 14,000 members.
Crnila is a Bosnian citizen who lives in Phuket, Thailand, with his wife, Natasha Bensulong.
Phillips lives in Las Vegas. The three are listed as defendants on Ross’ federal indictment.
Investigators say Crnila and Bensulong took more than $600,000 in payments through Western
Union for steroid orders placed by GA Labs customers. They would then send money through Western
Union to sources in China. Ray Ross would then produce the steroids and ship it to Phillips in
Las Vegas.
More than $1 million in proceeds was collected by the defendants from the steroid sales, charging
documents say.
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[Definitie:] "An ergogenic aid is any substance or phenomenon that enhances performance."
(Wilmore and Costill) 
