Pegasus News carries an interesting opinion piece on Texas justice in Plano. As everyone recalls, local steroids dealer to the NFL, David Jacobs lived and died in Plano, after a steroid-infused late life. Jacobs dealt the juice to at least on NFL player -- former Saint, Cowboys, and Falcons lineman Matt Lehr. Jacobs also appears to have distributed 'roids to bodybuilders, and to local policemen. Interestingly though, Jacobs and bodybuilder girlfriend Amanda Savell died under suspicious circumstances last summer (as noted below).
With disgraced sprinter Marion Jones heading home to Austin this week from a federal prison and the feds prosecuting amateur bodybuilders in Plano for steroid use, I continue to wonder with each new headline when the same level of attention will be focused on steroid use by police officers, particularly in the Plano case?
Steroid dealer David Jacobs and his bodybuilder girlfriend died under suspicious circumstances that police ruled a murder-suicide soon after he accused police officers from five Metroplex departments of being his customers. (Today's coverage inexplicably doesn't mention the police angle, but see these prior Grits posts and others linked below for background.)
It's a lot more important for public safety to ensure cops aren't using illicit steroids than is policing foot races or body building competitions, but you wouldn't know that by paying attention to state and federal enforcement priorities.
After Jacobs' death, no law enforcement agency disciplined any of his alleged police officer clients; of the five, only Dallas PD implemented steroid testing going forward. Otherwise, the officers Jacobs sold to have never been identified or disciplined, and are likely still on the force using illicit steroids.
In that light, there's a bold hypocrisy to pursuing amateur bodybuilders who were for the most part also merely Jacobs' clients. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. If they're prosecuting bodybuilders who bought steroids from Jacobs, the police officers who purchased from him should be pursued just as aggressively.
Good questions. The news story with the bodybuilders goes like this:
A federal judge sentenced two amateur bodybuilders involved in the Plano steroids trafficking conspiracy to three years probation today and postponed final judgment on the third and final defendant until next month.
Brandon Mark Smith, who lives in the Dallas area, and Jamie Mongeau, of Wichita, Kan., both received three years probation and $2,000 fines for their roles in the steroid network run by David Jacobs.
Mr. Jacobs killed himself and his former girlfriend in early June shortly after the same judge – U.S. District Judge Richard Schell – sentenced him to three years probation.
After he was arrested last year, Mr. Jacobs cooperated both with federal investigators and the National Football League in answering questions about his network – which spanned to China – and his dealings with two ex-Dallas Cowboys.
After meeting before court this morning with Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Williams and defense attorney Kent Schaffer, Judge Schell announced that he was postponing sentencing for the final defendant, Houston bodybuilder and personal trainer Juan Carlos Ballivian, until Oct. 15. No explanation was given.
During their sentencing hearings, both Mr. Smith and Mr. Mongeau told Judge Schell that their time spent on the amateur bodybuilding circuit led to their steroid use.
"I felt like I did what I had to do," Mr. Smith said. "Any person you see on stage in those competitions, even [California] governor [Arnold] Schwarzenegger, you can’t get to that size naturally. There’s not one of those people up there who doesn’t take performance enhancing drugs. I got wrapped up in the sport."
"You need to find something else to do," Judge Schell told him. Mr. Smith agreed.
Well, it is long time since some rule has been implemented for the illegal steroid use... This definitely will persuade many to go for drug free body building. Thanks a tonne for sharing this wonderful news...
Posted by: Ronald Ace | 09/21/2008 at 23:51