Onyebuchi Odunukwe, a self-employed personal trainer, was arrested on Monday night by investigators for using steroids and pot. The 21-year old trainer also recently made news for driving his car into the scooter of Razorback football player. He is now facing preliminary felony charges involving possession of steroids with the intention to deliver, simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms and also two counts of possession of marijuana with intent to deliver and conspiracy to deliver the said illegal drug. Police found vials of steroids and 15 pounds of marijuana in his home in 2672 Arroyo Ave., Apt. 3, in Fayetteville. Chad W. Dittrich was also arrested for preliminary felony charge of possession of marijuana with intent to deliver in the same area.

The members of the 4th Judicial District Drug Task Force said that they saw Dittrich enter Odunukwe’s house at around 9 p.m. last Friday and leave with a package. Investigators stopped his car for traffic violations. The K-9 unit went to the area to assist the task force in searching Dittrich’s vehicle. Police reported that search officers found 8 pounds of high-grade marijuana in the car’s trunk. The undercover investigator is said to have witnessed Dittrich placing the package in his trunk after leaving the Odunukwe’s residence.

Odunukwe was already being investigated by drug task force members earlier that day. An informant even reported to have purchased multiple pounds of marijuana from him at his home. During the investigation, task force members saw him driving near Dickinson Street and Highland Avenue in Fayetteville. The patrol unit placed his vehicle and had him under arrest. During the search operation at the Odunukwe’s residence, they have allegedly found 15 pounds of marijuana, dosage units of steroids and a loaded 9 mm handgun. Cpl. Craig Stout of Fayetteville police said it has been a long time since the last time they arrested someone for steroid possession. “This is completely new territory for us,” he said. “We don’t know the specific street value of steroids, since they’re not something the drug task force encounters very often. They do know that it’s in the thousand-dollar range.”

Stout also said some of the steroid dosages found during the search operation contained human growth hormone which is known to stimulate growth and cell production in human. This illegal substance is also used by athletes and many have already tested positive. The National Football League, National Collegiate Athletic Association and the International Olympic Committee have banned the use of steroids. This is however clinically used to treat children’s growth disorder and adult growth-hormone deficiency. The US Food and Drug Administration cited the long-term side effects of the drug including an increased risk of cancer, nerve pain, and the elevated cholesterol and glucose levels.

Both suspects were transported to the Washington Sheriff’s Office. Both are said to make their very first appearance in Washington County Circuit Court. Investigation however is still ongoing. “There’s definitely some follow-up to do because there’s been a lot of activity with these two gentlemen,” Stout said. “At this point, there’s no reason to believe that any University of Arkansas athletes are related to this case.”

Trackback URI | Comments RSS