Sayreville Man Admits Running Steroid Manufacturing Operation Out of Home

NEWARK – A Sayreville man pleaded guilty today to operating a steroid manufacturing operation out of his home, and to the illegal possession of two firearms, U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie announced.

Alfred Scarpa, 35, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William H. Walls to a two count criminal Information which charged him with possession with intent to distribute anabolic steroids, and the unlawful possession of firearms by a convicted felon.

Scarpa admitted at the plea hearing that he sold anabolic steroids, which he manufactured and stored in the basement of his residence, and that he owned and possessed two semiautomatic firearms which he also kept in the residence.

The charge of possession with intent to distribute anabolic steroids carries a maximum statutory prison sentence of five years, and the charge for the unlawful possession of firearms carries a maximum statutory prison sentence of 10 years, according to Robert Kirsch, the Assistant U.S. Attorney who handled the prosecution. Both counts also carry maximum statutory fines of $250,000.

Scarpa was arrested at his residence on Sept. 20, 2007, at the time his residence was searched by Special Agents of the FBI and DEA. A criminal Complaint stated that a search of Scarpa’s residence revealed “a substantial, active and ongoing laboratory used for the manufacturing of Anabolic steroids,” including numerous tubs filled with labeled, finished steroid products, a plastic receptacle containing more than 10,000 tablets of apparent steroid products, raw steroid powders, as well as numerous vats containing a variety of liquid steroid compounds which included labels for Clomiphene Citrate, Boldenone Undecylenate, Stanozolol, Primobolan, Trenbolone Acetate, Nandrolone, and Testosterone.

In addition, law enforcement seized two firearms from the residence: a .40-caliber Glock Model 23 semi-automatic pistol; and a .40-caliber Springfield semi-automatic pistol. In 2003, Scarpa had been convicted of a felony offense for conspiracy to distribute ketamine in Superior Court in Union County and in 2000, he had been convicted of distributing cocaine in Monmouth County, which precluded him, as a convicted felon, from possessing any firearms, Kirsch said. As part of his plea, Scarpa forfeited the firearms which were seized by law enforcement.

Judge Walls scheduled sentencing for December 16, 2008. Pending sentencing, Scarpa was released on a $250,000 bond, secured by his residence in Sayreville, and his wife’s parents’ residence in Howell, New Jersey, Kirsch said.

In determining the actual sentence, Judge Walls will consult the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide appropriate sentencing ranges that take into account the severity and characteristics of the offense, a defendant’s criminal history, if any, and other factors. The judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence. Parole has been abolished in the federal system and thus defendants who are given custodial terms must serve nearly all the time imposed by the court.

Christie credited Special Agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Weysan Dunn, in Newark; and Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gerard P. McAleer.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

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Defense Counsel: Anthony Pope, Esq., of Fairfield