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http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/argonne-national-laboratory-employee...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Former Downtown Nightclub Bouncer Arrested on Charges of Operating Illegal Steroid Lab out of His Oak Lawn Home

CHICAGO — An Oak Lawn man was arrested today on federal charges that he imported anabolic steroids from China and distributed them to large-scale suppliers in the Chicago area.

JOSEPH T. PALERMO, 33, imported anabolic steroids, human growth hormone and pharmaceuticals from outside the United States for approximately five years, according to a federal criminal complaint and affidavit. The shipments from China arrived in the form of raw liquid or powder, which Palermo manufactured into usable steroids and distributed to large-scale dealers in the Chicago area, according to the charges.

Earlier this month, federal agents executing a search warrant at Palermo’s Oak Lawn residence discovered a makeshift steroid laboratory in the walk-in closet of a locked bedroom, the affidavit states. Inside the closet were approximately 600 empty glass vials, approximately 250 vials filled or partially-filled with suspected liquid steroids, more than 6,000 tablets labeled as anabolic steroids, glass beakers, a hot plate and a digital scale, according to the affidavit. Agents also discovered more than $9,000 in cash and several firearms, including a 9mm Glock handgun that was concealed under a pad in a sofa, the affidavit states.

Palermo, who is employed by the Argonne National Laboratory, was taken into custody this morning. He was charged with possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute. He appeared this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria Valdez and was released on a personal recognizance bond.

The arrest and charge against Palermo were announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; James Gibbons, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Antonio Gómez, Inspector-in-Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago; and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Inspector General.

The arrest is part of an ongoing investigation that has resulted in the issuance of numerous federal and state search warrants, as well as the initiation of other federal criminal cases, according to the affidavit.

According to the charges, Palermo purchased the steroids online and often wired the money through Western Union. The shipments were sometimes sent to P.O. Boxes that Palermo opened in his name or the names of people whose identities he had found on driver’s licenses mistakenly left behind at a downtown Chicago nightclub where Palermo formerly worked as a bouncer, according to the charges. Palermo estimated that he grossed approximately $2,000 per month through the scheme, the affidavit states.

In June, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in San Francisco intercepted a Chinese parcel addressed to a residence Palermo controlled in Northlake, the affidavit states. Although the parcel was declared as “Titanium Dioxide,” it contained 359.2 grams of an oily anabolic steroid, the affidavit states. In July, CBP officers intercepted a second Chinese shipment, this time containing a powdery anabolic steroid concealed in a tinfoil baggie, according to the charges. It was addressed to a Palermo-controlled P.O. Box in Elmhurst, the affidavit states.

The charge against Palermo carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $500,000 fine. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.

The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kartik K. Raman.

Alternate article with more details.

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Steroid.com » Steroid Blog » Owner of UGL Genesis Pharmaceuticals Busted for Manufacturing Steroids Out of His Suburban Chicago Home
Owner of UGL Genesis Pharmaceuticals Busted for Manufacturing Steroids Out of His Suburban Chicago Home Owner of UGL Genesis Pharmaceuticals Busted for Manufacturing Steroids Out of His Suburban Chicago Home
Zachary Fardon, the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, announced the arrest of Joseph Palermo on federal charges that he imported anabolic steroids from China and distributed them to steroid dealers in the greater Chicago area. The September 24th announcement outlined the details of his illegal steroid enterprise.

Palermo operated a domestic underground laboratory (UGL) that manufactured finished injectable and oral steroid products from raw steroid powder. He sold the product under the brand “Genesis Pharmaceuticals”. The UGL has no relationship to the international UGL known as “Genesis Laboratories” or “Genesis Rejuvenation Products”.

Palermo had apparently been selling steroids since 2010. His steroid dealing had gone unnoticed by law enforcement officials for a period of 5 years. However, his success at going unnoticed came to an end on June 10, 2015.

This was when U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents working at the San Francisco, Callifornia International Mail Branch (IMB) intercepted a parcel containing 359 grams of a liquidy substance declared as “titanium dioxide” which originated from “Wuhan H&Z Trade Co. Ltd”. It was really boldenone undecylenate (aka Equipoise) powder which exists as a liquid at room temperature.

On July 28, 2015 CBP agents intercepts another package. This time is contained 204.3 grams of testosterone enanthate powder. This meant it was time for investigators to get serious and go after Palermo.

Daniel Nugent, a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), took over the investigations. Among other things, Nugent issued an administrative subpoena for the UPS Store. This got the ball rolling after UPS Store provided Palermo's email address as well as a detailed log of all 178 international mail parcels that he received from China, Hong Kong and India over the past 5 years.

Nugent served a subpoena on Palermo's email address(es) and received a thumbdrive from Google that contained his entire archive of email messages, sent and received, as well as all documents stored in Google Drive. The thumbdrive contained numerous correspondences with his suppliers as well as payment arrangements including Western Union details.

An administrative subpoena served on Western Union resulted in records detailing over $37,000 in cash sent overseas (and primarily to China). The evidence from CBP, The UPS Store, Google and Western Union was more than enough to obtain a search warrant for Palermo's residences and property. Nonetheless, investigators conducted “trash pulls” in which found even more incriminating evidence.

When Palermo was arrested on on September 9, 2015, investigators seized approximately 600 empyt glass vials; approximately 250 vials of injectable steroids; 193.5 grams of raw steroid powder; over 6,000 steroids tablets; 61 vials of suspected hGH; about 2000 syringes; glass beakers; hot plate; a digital scale; a five gallon jug of cottonseed oil; labels bearing the Genesis Pharmaceuticals name; more than 2000 tablets from the class of drugs known as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs); 1,000 tadalafil tablets (Cialis); and approximately $9000 in cash.

Palermo waived his Miranda Rights and confessed to investigators at the time of his arrest and confessed to everything. Palermo claimed to have grossed about $2,000 per month; he admitted importing steroids from China; and admitted manufacturing finished steroid product for approximately 5 or 6 large-scale steroid dealers in the greater Chicago area.

Palermo faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $500,000 fine if he is convicted.

Source:

DOJ. (September 24, 2015). Former Downtown Nightclub Bouncer Arrested on Charges of Operating Illegal Steroid Lab out of His Oak Lawn Home. Retrieved from http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/argonne-national-laboratory-employee...