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Troopers say they seized $100,000 in steroids that he was selling to health clubs.
September 17, 2003
By Aaron Gifford
Staff writer
A Lenox man was arrested on drug charges Tuesday after state police said they seized more than $100,000 worth of anabolic steroids from his home.
Joseph "Ty" Tornatore, 27, of 3186 Seneca Ave., was charged with 22 counts of fifth-degree possession of a controlled substance, a felony, troopers said. He was also cited on misdemeanor charges of possessing hypodermic needles and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
Police said Tornatore imported the drugs from China and northern Europe and resold them at an enormous profit at various health clubs. He did business in Oneida County, mainly the New Hartford area, "and possibly in Syracuse," Trooper Eric Jones said.
Police executed a search warrant at Tornatore's home and at 918 Mary St. in Utica after a three-month investigation.
They seized more than 11,000 doses of steroids, 400 hypodermic needles for injecting them, more than $15,000 in cash, and a folding dagger that was in Tornatore's car, troopers said.
Many of the drugs seized are commonly used by veterinarians to treat animal illnesses, especially horse diseases. The types of steroids seized include methandrostenolone, stanozolol and anastrozole, troopers said.
Tornatore is a bodybuilder, Jones said.
Tornatore was arraigned in Utica City Court and sent to the Oneida County jail before being released on $3,000 cash bail just after 5 p.m., Undersheriff M. Peter Paravati said.
Reached at his home Tuesday, Tornatore declined to comment on the charges against him.
He did say that he used to work out in gyms throughout Madison and Oneida counties, and trained for bodybuilding contests but never competed.
The investigation is continuing, police said.
September 17, 2003
By Aaron Gifford
Staff writer
A Lenox man was arrested on drug charges Tuesday after state police said they seized more than $100,000 worth of anabolic steroids from his home.
Joseph "Ty" Tornatore, 27, of 3186 Seneca Ave., was charged with 22 counts of fifth-degree possession of a controlled substance, a felony, troopers said. He was also cited on misdemeanor charges of possessing hypodermic needles and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
Police said Tornatore imported the drugs from China and northern Europe and resold them at an enormous profit at various health clubs. He did business in Oneida County, mainly the New Hartford area, "and possibly in Syracuse," Trooper Eric Jones said.
Police executed a search warrant at Tornatore's home and at 918 Mary St. in Utica after a three-month investigation.
They seized more than 11,000 doses of steroids, 400 hypodermic needles for injecting them, more than $15,000 in cash, and a folding dagger that was in Tornatore's car, troopers said.
Many of the drugs seized are commonly used by veterinarians to treat animal illnesses, especially horse diseases. The types of steroids seized include methandrostenolone, stanozolol and anastrozole, troopers said.
Tornatore is a bodybuilder, Jones said.
Tornatore was arraigned in Utica City Court and sent to the Oneida County jail before being released on $3,000 cash bail just after 5 p.m., Undersheriff M. Peter Paravati said.
Reached at his home Tuesday, Tornatore declined to comment on the charges against him.
He did say that he used to work out in gyms throughout Madison and Oneida counties, and trained for bodybuilding contests but never competed.
The investigation is continuing, police said.
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