Man takes plea deal in central Fla. steroids bust

TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. — A Florida man who claimed he sold anabolic steroid pills to professional athletes, including members of the Washington Nationals and Capitals, has pleaded guilty in a deal with prosecutors.

Richard Thomas, 36, pleaded guilty Tuesday to a single federal count of possessing anabolic steroids with intent to sell, according to court documents.

Thomas faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Prosecutors have agreed not to oppose the Thomas’ request for a lighter sentence in exchange for his plea.

It wasn’t immediately clear what punishment Thomas will ask for. A spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office, which was closed Wednesday, did not respond to calls and Thomas’ attorney, Mark Taylor, did not immediately return to a phone message.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said Thomas boasted of selling steroids to professional baseball, hockey and football players, but didn’t name any of the athletes. Authorities do not have any evidence he sold the pills to members of the teams he cited.

“You name the sport, and I’ve sold steroids to athletes who play it,” he previously told police.

Thomas told detectives he imported steroids from all around the world. A search of his home in Lakeland, about 30 miles east of Tampa, turned up thousands of pills, injectable liquids and syringes with an estimated wholesale value of $100,000, according to the police. The sheriff’s office said Thomas was a semiprofessional body builder and claimed to be the largest steroids dealer in central Florida.

Both the Nationals and the Capitals have said they had no reason to believe Thomas’ claims.

A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.