Uncle Z's Former U.S. Domestic Remailer Sentenced to 17 Years for Dealing Steroids

Uncle Z's Former U.S. Domestic Remailer Sentenced to 17 Years for Dealing Steroids David Starkey was once the sole domestic remailer in the United States for the international steroid source known as “Uncle Z”. But like most of those who become involved in illegal steroid distribution, he got caught. And now, Starkey has been sentenced to serve 17 years in the Indiana Department of Correction.

Starkey and his wife partnered with Uncle Z during a period when they were unemployed and in dire financial straits. He never considered himself a “drug dealer” and never considered anabolic steroids as “bad” as other controlled substances. It didn't make any difference. Prosecutors saw it differently.

Starkey was charged under Indiana State law. He pleaded guilty to Dealing in a Schedule III Controlled Substance as a Level II Felony according to Rush County Prosecutor Philip Caviness. In September 2015, Starkey reached a plea agreement with Prosecutor Caviness.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Starkey will serve 12 years in prison. The prison time will be followed by 3 years under house arrest as part of the Rush County Community Corrections Program. And finally, it will be followed by 2 years probation. Under a best case scenario, Starkey could serve as little as 9 years in prison under a prison program that rewards good behavior. Under Indiana State law, convicts with level II felonies can receive one day of good time credit for every three days of good behavior.

The sentence seems unusually harsh given that most federal cases involving steroid distribution and conspiracy result in defendants serving less than 5 years. Steroid-related sentences of more than 10 years are exceedingly rare. The harsh sentenced received by Starkey can be partly explained by the draconian Indiana steroid laws but may be largely due to the fact that Starkey and his wife were busted twice for the same offense within 5 months of each other.

David and Holly Starkey were arrested when investigators from the Rushville Police Department, Homeland Security and the US Postal Service served warrants on their residence in August 2014. The police found substantial evidence consistent with the operation of an underground laboratory (UGL) that manufactured steroids. Investigators compiled evidence that the Starkeys were receiving ingredients through the mail, manufacturing finished steroid products, and shipping them around the country and overseas.

The steroid business allowed the couple to go from having no money and no job to making $2000 per week remailing steroids for Uncle Z. Uncle Z mailed all of the product to Starkey and paid him via Western Union based of the number of packages he shipped (remailed). Starkey said Z would pay him $10 per package of vials shipped and $5 per package of pills shipped. Starkey never interacted with customers directly nor did he manage any funds received from customers. He was simply provided with pick and pack details along with customer addresses.
In spite of their August 2014 arrest, the couple continued to sell steroids. In January 2015, the Rushville Police and Rush County Sheriff's Office set up a controlled buy with David Starkey. Starkey was arrested with 500 grams of steroid powder in his possession. A subsequent search warrant turned up 200 vials of finished injectable steroids, worth an estimated $20,000 on the street, along with paraphernalia consistent with the operation of a steroid underground laboratory (UGL).

Both David and Holly Starkey have been held in custody at the Madison Correctional Facility ever since. David Starkey will begin his prison sentence immediately.

Holly Starkey has also pleaded guilty and remains incarcerated pending sentencing. It is possible that the status of Holly Starkey's case could have loomed over negotiations between David Starkey and county prosecutors. It remains to be seen if Holly Starkey gets out of jail or receives a reduced sentence as an official or unofficial condition of David Starkey's plea agreement.

Source:
Rushvill Republican. (September 29, 2015). Starkey pleads guilty to dealing steroids. Retrieved from
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