HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Eight people, including two Newtown police officials and a state judicial marshal, have been arrested on accusations of distributing steroids and prescription pills, federal prosecutors said Monday.
They’re accused of conspiracy to distribute and distribution of controlled substances including steroids and oxycodone, U.S. Attorney Deirdre Daly said.
The accused are Mark Bertanza, of Shelton; Jason Chickos, a civilian dispatcher for Newtown police who’s from Bridgeport; Steven Fernandes, of Southington; Jeffrey Gentile, a judicial marshal from Ansonia; Alex Kenyhercz, of Ansonia; Michael Mase, of Sherman; Frank Pecora, of Derby; and Steven Santucci, a Newtown police sergeant from Waterbury.
Santucci’s lawyer would not comment, and lawyers for Gentile, Kenyhercz and Pecora did not immediately return calls seeking comment. Mase did not immediately return a call seeking comment, and Bertanza, Chickos and Fernandes did not have listed phone numbers.
Law enforcement officers seized hundreds of vials of steroids, about 600 grams of raw testosterone powder, about 350 grams of powder cocaine and four guns, federal officials say.
Santucci is accused of receiving shipments of steroids and related materials from China since 2011. He’s accused of using an app to communicate with customers.
Chickos, Fernandes and Mase were Santucci’s steroid customers who regularly distributed the steroids in smaller quantities to their own customers, authorities say.
Gentile is accused of distributing steroids, and authorities say Pecora distributed prescription pills.
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