Former IFBB Pro Don Long Busted On Steroid Charges

[Bouncer]

Three Jacksonville residents were among five people indicted Friday for their part of a conspiracy to distribute steroids, the Department of Justice said.

According to the DOJ's release, Donald McLoud Long, 50; Sarah Ann Long, 33; and Armando F. Aman, 37, all of Jacksonville, were indicted for their part of a conspiracy to distribute steroids. Shelby Travis Phillips, 26, of Savannah, Georgia, and Taylor Salvione, 25 of Gloversville, New York, were also indicted for the same offense.

According to the indictment, the group "conspired to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute anabolic steroids" from December 2013 through September 2016.

The cases were part of "Operation Total Package," which included collaboration between the DEA, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Beach Police Department, the Green Cove Springs Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

If convicted, each of the accused faces 10 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.

3 Jacksonville residents indicted in federal steroid bust

[Mr I]

Thought he died aged ago

[Bouncer]

Thought he died aged ago

No he had kidney replacement then jumped back on gear.

[Mr I]

Jesus

[cybrsage]

WTF, wasn't having an organ replaced a wake up call?

[Bouncer]

IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Don and Sarah Long Busted for Steroid Manufacturing and Distribution

IFBB pro bodybuilder Don Long and his wife IFBB national level figure competitor Sarah Long have been arrested and charged in a steroid distribution conspiracy. Don and Sarah were arrested and charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with the intent to distribute, anabolic steroids on February 9, 2017.

The arrests were part of a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigation codenamed “Operation Total Package” that included cooperation between several federal, state and local agencies. e.g. the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Beach Police Department, the Green Cove Springs Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

Don Long was a successful IFBB pro bodybuilder who retired in 1999 after suffering kidney failure. His sister wanted to donate a kidney to her brother but it was not compatible. However, she donated the kidney to another person awaiting a transplant. This automatically moved Long to the top of the list allowing him to receive a transplant in 2002. The kidney failed in 2003. Long returned to competition on the IFBB bodybuilding stage between 2006 and 2009 while undergoing regular dialysis 3-4 times per week. He received another (successful) kidney transplant in 2011.

Long’s controversial return to bodybuilding competition was done to inspire people by showing them that adversity can be overcome. Long wanted to be the “Lance Armstrong of bodybuilding” back before Armstrong had his own doping scandal.

"I did it more to show people that it can be done,” Long said during a 2012 bodybuilding.com interview. “I wanted to show people they can overcome their problems and achieve. What I wanted to be was the Lance Armstrong of bodybuilding.”

Don and Sarah Long are the husband-wife team behind “Team Long – Living the Life of a Big Dog”. Team Long provides bodybuilding, bikini, figure and physique competitors with contest preparation services. Don and Sarah have a successful and thriving personal training business with dozens of clients featured on their website including several IFBB pro bodybuilding competitors and at least one National Football League (NFL) player.

The unavoidable guilty-by-association that usually accompanies the steroid-related arrest of a coach, nutrition or training guru is inconsequential for most physique athletes given the lack of any real anti-doping procedures in contests sanctioned by the National Physique Committee (NPC) or International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB). Furthermore, it is no secret that the use of physique-enhancing drugs is rampant in competitive bodybuilding. However, the same may not be true of major drug-tested sports like the NFL. The couple’s involvement with NFL players may have resulted in the inclusion of USADA in their investigation.

The indictment and prosecution of Don and Sarah Long seriously threatens to derail their successful business. While they are presumed innocent until proven guilty, a conviction could result in a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.

Don and Sarah Long are accused of conspiring with three other individuals in Jacksonville FL, Savannah GA and Gloversville NY to create and distribute their own brand of underground laboratory (UGL) steroids between December 2013 and September 27, 2016.

Don and Sarah Long have pleaded not guilty. They are scheduled to to appear in court for trial on April 3, 2017 before U.S. District Judge Harvey Schlesinger.