United States Drug Enforcement Administration

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - A Temecula man, who owned and operated  sports nutrition businesses in Murrieta and Temecula, was sentenced February 18, 2014, to probation after he pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking charges for possessing and distributing anabolic steroids.

David Antonio Calderon, 40, who owned and operated Nutri-Sport in Murrieta and Temecula, was sentenced to a three year probation term by United States District Judge Virginia A. Phillips. 

In a plea agreement filed last year in United States District Court, Calderon admitted to knowingly possessing anabolic steroids with the intent to distribute those steroids. 

The joint investigation revealed that David Calderon operated two sports nutritional supplement retail stores in Murrieta and Temecula called Nutri-Sport and that Calderon sold anabolic steroids at these locations, to include Andro and DMT, both Schedule III controlled substances.  Between July and November 2010, undercover DEA agents purchased multiple bottles of anabolic steroids at both stores. 

As a result of federal search warrants conducted in November 2010, agents seized approximately 24,355 capsules of anabolic steroids valued at more than $50,000.  The anabolic steroids seized included DMT as well as Boldione, a precursor for the anabolic steroid Boldenone, and Androstadienedione or "Andro" a precursor for testosterone and estrogen. 

DMT or desoxymethyltestosterone is one of the first orally ingested "designer steroids" to be illegally marketed as a performance enhancing drug to athletes and bodybuilders.  DMT was developed in 1961, but was never brought to market as a commercial drug.  In 2005, DMT began to be supplied as a nutritional supplement.  The side effects of DMT are liver damage and left ventricular hypertrophy, which is thickening of the muscle of the left ventricle of the heart.  In January 2010, DMT was classified as a Schedule III controlled substance anabolic steroid, meaning it may only be prescribed by a registered physician. 

In the 1990's, Andro, or Androstadienedione, was commonly used by Major League Baseball athletes and in 2004 Andro was classified as a Schedule III controlled substance anabolic steroid. 

The investigation into Calderon and Nutri-Sport was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Murrieta Police Department.