Men to be tried on illegal steroid possession

Two Carson City men who pleaded not guilty this week to illegal possession of anabolic steroids will be tried this summer.

Jacob Robert Owens, 21, and Derrick Richard Fancher, 32, were arrested July 26 when served with search warrants at their homes.

At the time of his arrest, Fancher was a corrections officer at the Nevada State Prison. He left employment with the Department of Corrections in November, said Glen Whorton, assistant director of operations.

According the the arrest report, on July 21 the U.S. Customs Air Mail Facility in Daly City, Calif., intercepted three envelopes from Thailand. Two envelopes were addressed to Fancher in the 1000 block of South Roop Street, and one was addressed to Owens in the 1000 block of Ruby Lane.

Inside the envelopes allegedly addressed to Fancher, customs agents found a total of 409 tablets confirmed to be oxymetholone -- an oral anabolic steroid used treatment of anemias, but also popular with body builders to increase muscle mass for competitive or athletic purposes.

Inside the envelope allegedly addressed to Owens were 207 tablets of oxymetholone.

On July 26, "by way of a controlled and monitored delivery," the envelopes were delivered to Fancher and Owens, the report states.

According to the report, during the execution of search warrants on Fancher's and Owen's homes, police confiscated steroid tablets, steroid related items and hypodermic needles -- often used to inject liquid steroids.

Both men are charged with felony possession of a controlled substance and gross misdemeanor possession of a dangerous drug without a prescription.

Oxymetholone has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of anemias caused by deficient red cell production.

These drugs are legally available only with a doctor's prescription.