Date: February 28, 2023 Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov SAN DIEGO — The U.S. Attorney's Office unsealed a complaint today charging San Diego resident Edgar Lopez Feliciano with maintaining a steroid distribution center in Spring Valley. As detailed in the complaint, Feliciano's network is allegedly involved in the creation and distribution of significant quantities of anabolic steroids throughout the United States. In a coordinated takedown that took place today, federal, state, and local law enforcement agents and officers arrested Feliciano and executed search warrants at the steroid distribution center in Spring Valley and Feliciano's personal residence in Poway. During the searches, agents seized a large amount of anabolic steroids - estimated to be hundreds of thousands of individual dosage-units. They also seized more than $25,000 in U.S. currency, six Rolex watches and other luxury jewelry, and multiple high-end luxury vehicles including a 2023 Mercedes Maybach S580 and a 2023 Mercedes AMG G63. During the investigation, agents learned that Feliciano allegedly purchases his anabolic steroid powders from sources of supply located in China and Turkey and then uses the steroid powders to create and manufacture anabolic steroids for distribution throughout the United States through the U.S. Mail system. According to postal meter readings, law enforcement officials estimate that Feliciano distributed more than 10,000 parcels containing anabolic steroids between June 2022 and August 2022 and until his arrest continued to distribute anabolic steroids from the distribution center in Spring Valley on a daily basis. According to the complaint, between 2018 and 2021, agents identified multiple financial accounts held by Feliciano with the total amount of deposits into these accounts being approximately $7 million, and more than $2.5 million in wire transfers sent from these accounts to overseas entities believed to be involved in the production and distribution of Schedule III Controlled Substances. "The complaint alleges a national steroid distribution network operating in the San Diego community," said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. "We will continue to work closely with our federal and local partners to prosecute those who traffic in controlled substances using our U.S. mail system." Grossman thanked the prosecution team and investigating agencies for their excellent work on this case. "The best way to disrupt and dismantle any criminal organization is to follow the money and take ill-gotten gains," said Tyler Hatcher Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation's Los Angeles Field Office, "IRS Criminal Investigation is proud to work with our partners in investigating this case." "According to the complaint, the defendant was manufacturing and trafficking illicitly produced anabolic steroids," said DEA Special Agent in Charge Shelly Howe. "DEA and our state and local partners will continue to actively pursue drug traffickers whether they are trafficking illicit drugs or controlled substances." "This investigation shows our persistence and dedication in protecting the U.S. Mail from criminal misuse and disrupting the flow of these dangerous drugs being trafficked in our communities," said Carroll Harris, Inspector in Charge of the Los Angeles Division. "The arrest of Feliciano demonstrates our collaborative efforts to continue to work closely with our partners to identify and prosecute those who are seeking a profit at the expense of the public safety." This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force ("OCDETF"), a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
