Thread: Sheriff's detectives make big steroid bust in St. Lucie County

Sheriff's detectives make big steroid bust in St. Lucie County




5:40 p.m. EDT November 2, 2016






PORT ST. LUCIE — St. Lucie County Sheriff’s investigators arrested a 24-year-old man in what a lieutenant described Wednesday as “probably one of the larger steroid cases that I’ve ever seen in St. Lucie County.”

Sean Patrick Nobel was arrested Tuesday on several charges, including possession of anabolic steroids and sale of anabolic steroids, after investigators searched his home in the 900 block of Southeast Bayfront Avenue, Port St. Lucie.

Sheriff’s Lt. Brian Hester said investigators found 50 vials of anabolic steroids and packages of pills.

“Probably one of the larger steroid cases that I’ve ever seen in St. Lucie County with the amount of steroids he had in his home,” Hester said.

“His closet was basically a pharmacy.”

According to court records, the investigation began as Nobel made a public post via an anonymous social media application in which he advertised steroids.

A detective eventually agreed to make a $230 purchase from Nobel on Sept. 27.



Authorities seized 50 vials of anabolic steroids and packages of pills from a Port St. Lucie home on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016.

The drugs the detective, with the help of an informant, received were listed as being made by Freedom Labs and Dark Matter Labs, records show.

Hester said investigators believe Nobel used the “dark web,” an underground internet, to get the drugs. The nature of the dark web makes it difficult to track sources.

“We saw shipping containers that were coming from California, from all over the place,” Hester said. “Whether that’s where they originated, we don’t know.”

Hester said there can be significant long-term health and safety concerns associated with steroids, saying some can lead to cancer, make the liver shut down or make it impossible to have children. He cautioned youths and athletes, who might consider steroids to get stronger and see results faster, about the risks.

Hester said many of the steroids Nobel had are not prescribed by doctors.

Nobel was released Tuesday from the St. Lucie County Jail on $35,000 bond, a jail official said.