Ryan Root Pleads Guilty in Binghamton Steroid Ring

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — Ryan Root, 37, of West New York, New Jersey, and former resident of Binghamton, pleaded guilty today to running a sprawling international anabolic steroid trafficking ring that flooded the U.S. with unregulated performance-enhancing drugs. Root admitted to conspiring to distribute steroids and laundering money across borders, marking the latest fall of a key player in a network that operated from 2011 to 2015.

According to court documents, Root sourced distribution-size quantities of anabolic steroids directly from China, arranging for shipments to be sent to himself and a network of co-conspirators across the U.S. He then orchestrated the resale of these controlled substances nationwide, using wire transfers to funnel payments back to overseas suppliers. His operation relied heavily on the U.S. Postal Service to move illegal goods, exploiting mail channels to avoid detection.

Root is the eighth of ten defendants to plead guilty in the case. His co-defendants, including Paul Boylan, 32, of Endicott, New York, also admitted to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute anabolic steroids and international money laundering—a charge carrying a maximum 20-year prison sentence. Two remain uncharged: Kent Fletcher and Michael Gisondi, who are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Federal and state authorities hailed the takedown as a major blow to an underground drug network. U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian warned that anabolic steroids are dangerous when misused, stating, ‘Root and his organization obtained these dangerous substances from China and then distributed them throughout the country, imperiling all who purchased them.’

DEA Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt compared steroid abuse without medical oversight to ‘playing Russian roulette,’ adding that Root’s trafficking enterprise put countless lives at risk. New York State Police Superintendent George P. Beach II emphasized the success of interagency collaboration, while Postal Inspector Shelly A. Binkowski stressed the Postal Service’s commitment to keeping illegal drugs out of the mail.

Sentencing for Ryan Root is set for March 13, 2017, before Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy. The investigation was led by the DEA, New York State Police, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Solomon B. Shinerock. None of the defendants who pleaded guilty have been sentenced yet, with penalties determined by statute, sentencing guidelines, and judicial discretion.

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