The 35-year old Florida bodybuilder from Lakeland who was accused of being a large-scale illegal anabolic steroids distributor and who claimed to sell steroids to professional athletes, left jail after a federal hearing and after posting a $25,000 bail. Richard “Andy” Thomas was detained at the Pinellas County Jail after he was caught in possession of anabolic steroids with intent to distribute.

The federal hearing was held at Tampa’s federal court with Magistrate Judge Thomas G. Wilson as presiding judge. Judge Wilson set the conditions of Thomas’s release and maintained that Thomas had to stay at his mother’s home during the investigation and subsequent court hearings. Thomas’s mother was also made to sign a signature bond, promising to pay $25,000 if her son does not make it to the court appearances. Judge Wilson also ordered Thomas that he cannot possess or use anabolic steroids and other illegal drugs and must submit to drug testing. The federal prosecutors were concerned that standard drug testing does not typically look for anabolic steroids and suggested to the judge that special testing for anabolic steroids should be specifically ordered. Judge Wilson replied that Thomas will be tested when possible (if means are available), but if not then he won’t be. Thomas’s passport was also handed over to the court by his lawyer Mark Taylor.

After the hearing, Taylor commented to the press that at the moment, he and Thomas’s mother were focused on getting Thomas out of jail and that they are actively evaluating the case and their options. From there he said that they will proceed accordingly and declined to comment any further.

Thomas, together with his wife Sandra, 49, faced federal charges filed by the United States Attorney in Tampa after authorities seized a large stash of steroids and illicit drugs from his home in Lakeland, Florida. During his arrest, Thomas declared to the officials that he supplied steroids to professional athletes and promised to expose his clients if he was released. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said that $200,000 worth of steroids and other illegal substances were seized from Thomas’s home. He also said that Thomas claimed to be the biggest steroid dealer in central Florida and that his clients included professional football, baseball, and hockey players, as well as athlete from every field of sport imaginable. He said that he supplied steroids to members of the Washington Capitals and the Washington Nationals. In addition to steroids and illegal drugs, the officials also seized various loaded firearms from the Thomas residence on Stoney Creek Drive.

According to the arrest reports, it was the largest collection of illegal steroids in the history of Polk County. Thomas’s wife Sandra posted a $215,000 bail shortly after they were arrested and was released from the Polk County Jail. State charges were also filed against her. State prosecutors, however, decided not to pursue the charges against Richard Thomas since he has been charged in the federal court. According to the State Attorney’s Office in Bartow, the state charges against Sandra Thomas remain.

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