United States Drug Enforcement Administration

ST. LOUIS, MO. - The DEA and The United States Attorney’s Office in St. Louis announced today that Gregory L. Loomans pled guilty to one charge of conspiracy to possess and distribute human growth hormone drugs.

According to court documents, Loomans was a body-builder who frequented gyms in St. Charles County. Loomans admitted with his plea that he bought steroids and human growth hormone from China with others, injected a portion of the drugs into himself, and sold and distributed the remaining drugs to other body-builders in Missouri. Loomans spent approximately $10,000 for the Chinese drugs and gained over $10,000 from selling the drugs, including the costs of the drugs he personally used.

Loomans 40, St. Charles, MO, pled guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to possess and distribute human growth hormone drugs before United States District Judge Rodney W. Sippel. Sentencing has been set for March 16, 2012.

Co-defendant Keith Ashabranner, 32, O’Fallon, MO, faces the same charge and is scheduled for trial in February 2012. Mr. Ashabranner is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

This charges carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000. In determining the actual sentences, a Judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Office of Criminal Investigation for the United States Food and Drug Administration, and the Missouri South Central Drug Task Force, with assistance from Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Homeland Security Investigations.