kansas business owner, maryland doctor indicted for distributing $1.3 million worth of steroids
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas business owner and a Maryland physician have been indicted by a federal grand jury for distributing more than $1.3 million worth of steroids.
Scott Lofquist, 51, of Fairway, Kan., and Rodney Baltazar, 48, of Elkton, Md., were charged in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo.
Today’s indictment alleges that Lofquist and Baltazar participated in a conspiracy to distribute nearly 1.3 million units of anabolic steroids through Lofquist’s business, at a retail value of $1,368,519, from June 1, 2008, to March 30, 2010.
According to the indictment, Lofquist was the owner of Lifetime Wellness, LLC, which operated out of his home and the home of a co-manager (identified as “E.H.” in the indictment) in Kansas City, Mo. Baltazar was a doctor of osteopathy licensed to practice medicine in the state of Delaware.
The federal indictment alleges that Lofquist sold controlled substances through Lifetime Wellness, including anabolic steroids (such as Testosterone Cypionate, Stanozolol/Oxandrolone and Nadrolone Decanoate), as well as non-controlled prescription drugs (such as hGH and Sermorelin) for anti-aging, body building and/or athletic performance enhancement.
Baltazar allegedly had an arrangement with Lofquist to write patient prescriptions outside the scope of professional practice. Baltazar did not conduct in-person medical evaluations, the indictment says, nor were the drugs prescribed for a legitimate medical purpose.
In addition to the conspiracy, Lofquist and Baltazar are each charged in four counts of aiding and abetting each other to distribute a controlled substance.
The indictment also contains a forfeiture count, which would require the defendants to forfeit to the government any property obtained through the proceeds of the alleged violations, including $1,368,519.
Phillips cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jane Pansing Brown. It was investigated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigation.
