
DATE: Thursday, February 27, 1997           TAG: 9702270503

SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY LYNN WALTZ, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:  111 lines

BEACH MEN INDICTED IN STEROID RING FIREFIGHTER, CHIROPRACTOR ACCUSED OF DISTRIBUTING UNAPPROVED DRUGS

Three Virginia Beach men - including a chiropractor and a firefighter - have been indicted in what federal authorities describe as one of the largest steroid distribution networks in the nation, based in Miami with outlets in Virginia Beach and Richmond.

The men, all bodybuilders, were indicted on charges of distributing steroids and drugs not approved by the Food and Drug Administration to local weightlifters through contacts made in local gyms, according to a federal indictment unsealed Wednesday in Richmond.

The Virginia Beach men indicted in connection with the ring are:

Larry Wayne ``Barry'' Silvestro, 32, a Beach firefighter.

Anthony J. Donatelli, 34, a chiropractor.

Scot Alan Delarino, 32.

Also indicted was a Miami man, Christopher K. Dabbs, 30, who is accused of importing drugs from Brazil and Mexico, then shipping them through commercial mailers throughout the East Coast.

The indictment alleges that a Virginia Beach distributor then sold the drugs to a chiropractor who specialized in treating weightlifters as a front to sell them drugs.

Dabbs is allegedly ``one of the largest steroid dealers in the United States,'' said Andrew G. McBride, the assistant U.S. attorney prosecuting the case out of Richmond.

Dabbs is a double-amputee body-builder whom law enforcement officials call ``Charles Atlas in a wheelchair,'' federal authorities said.

Police seized 38,000 doses of steroids and $40,000 in cash at the Miami headquarters, according to the indictment.

The investigation, dubbed ``OPERATION JUICE-FREE'' eventually netted a total of 50,000 doses and $50,000 in cash. Juice is the slang term steroid users use for testosterone and other anabolic steroids.

Steroids and similar drugs are used to accelerate muscle growth.

``A large quantity'' of steroids was also seized in Virginia Beach, the indictment said, along with other drugs, including growth hormones, rohypnol or ``ruffies'' and ``exstasy.''

Donatelli, of the Faith Chiropractic Clinic in the 600 block of Lynnhaven Parkway, was arrested in January after federal agents seized drugs and materials from his home and office. Donatelli is also accused of trying to warn other suspects after agreeing to cooperate and was charged with obstruction of justice. He is being held without bond.

Donatelli, a local competitive light heavyweight, is charged with storing steriods and growth hormones at his apartment in the 3700 block of Snowdrift Circle, Virginia Beach. He transported the drugs to his office in his green 1994 Corvette, which was seized, the indictment said.

Key to breaking the case locally was undercover agent James Dempsey of the State Police, who was adjusted by the chiropractor numerous times.

``He got adjusted and he paid for it,'' McBride said. ``He said he couldn't tell if it helped, because he didn't have anything wrong with him in the first place.''

Within two visits, the topic of steroids came up, McBride said, and Donatelli allegedly arranged for Dempsey to get the drugs through Scot Delarino, also charged in the indictment as a retail distributor who sold outside the clinic.

Federal authorities said that when Donatelli was supplying someone he didn't know, he would send customers to Delarino.

The case was initially broken by U.S. Customs agents, who noticed suspicious packages coming to Dabbs from Brazil and Mexico, federal authorities said. Independent arrests of users in Richmond began the local investigation.

Silvestro, the firefighter, of the 100 block of Pinewood Road, was relieved of duty Wednesday night at Station 5, near the Virginia Beach courthouse, after returning from a fire call.

Silvestro is accused of being the middle-man between Dabbs in Miami and Donatelli, and of sending thousands of dollars to Miami in return for shipments.

Silvestro turned himself in to authorities last week and was released on bond, but reportedly neglected to tell his supervisors. Fire department policy requires disclosure of arrests and the department will do an internal investigation, said spokesman Chase Sargent.

Federal authorities said Silvestro was one of about 25 men selling a large volume for Dabbs nationally.

Delarino, turned himself in to Virginia State Police and U.S. Customs Wednesday morning. Delarino is accused of scouting gyms in Virginia Beach and Richmond, selling the drugs and drumming up business for Donatelli, the indictment says.

In addition to steroids, agents seized hundreds of hypodermic needles and large quantities of FDA unapproved drugs like Human Growth Hormone and Clenbuteral, another growth hormone.

Illegal human growth hormones were seized in Donatelli's home refrigerator. The drug is used only for dwarfism in children, federal authorities said. McBride said growth hormones are mostly confined to the bodybuilding community, where there is a ``culture of hugeness.'' Some drug manufacturers have reported thefts of the hormone, McBride said, and they are investigating possible connections.

The case was investigated by Dempsey of the Virginia State Police, Marjorie Thompson of Customs and Kelly Johnstone of the FDA. Steroid convictions carry sentences up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic

THE DRUG

Anabolic steroids are made from the male hormone testosterone.

Some athletes use them to increase strength and body weight. Side

effects include liver damage and high blood pressure.

THE RING

Indictments charge that the steroids were imported from Brazil

and Mexico then shipped throughout the East Coast, including

Virginia Beach and Richmond, where they were sold to weight-lifters.

THE LAW

Sale of anabolic steroids without a prescription is illegal. They

are in a category of drugs that includes certain combinations of

narcotic and non-narcotic drugs and also appetite suppressants. KEYWORDS: ARREST FEDERAL INDICTMENT STEROIDS