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Three Federal Detention Facility employees accused of selling steroids

By Howard B. Owens

Three Erie County residents who worked at the Federal Detention Facility on Federal Drive in Batavia are being accused of selling anabolic steroids in violation of federal law.

It's not clear if the men were allegedly selling steroids at the facility or elsewhere.

UPDATE: The men are not accused of selling to prisoners.

Charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute anabolic steroids, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of anabolic steroids were Richard Eldridge, 35, of West Seneca, and Michael Trautmann, 48, of Cheektowaga.

Richard Lazzaro, 39, of Cheektowaga, is charged with possession with intent to distribute, and distribuiton of anabolic steroids.

The charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison or a fine of $500,000 or both.

Eldridge and Trautmann allegedly engaged in the sales and distribution from Oct. 13 to Nov. 30, 2010.

According to the indictment, they are suspected of distributing nandrolone deconoate, oxymetholone and oxandrolone.

Lazzaro is accused of distributing testosterone enathate, boldenone undecylenate, testosterone propionate and methandrostanolone in January.

Eldridge is an immigration enforcement agent with the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations. Trautmann and Lazzaro were detention officers working as federal contract employees.

The indictment is the culmination of an investigation on the part of special agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James H. Robertson and the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory Null.

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