4 Freed in Steroid Case

April 21, 2010

The Supreme Court on Tuesday released on probation people convicted of attempting to smuggle anabolic steroids into the United States after overturning the most severe charges, Itar-Tass reported.

The Moscow City Court sentenced them to jail terms varying from 4 1/2? to 6 1/2 years for attempted smuggling and illegal distribution of controlled substances. The smuggling charge was overturned and the sentence for distribution was made conditional.

The suspects — bodybuilder Dmitry Koshuba, Vladimir Matyuk, Sergei Degtaryov, Yelena Tsymbal — have maintained their innocence, Itar-Tass reported. The original jury acquitted them of 58 of the 60 charges they faced, Kommersant reported.

(MT)

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