Retired Edmond officer indicted in steroid ring
A retired Edmond police officer became the leader of an illegal steroid distribution ring and kept $280,000 in proceeds buried in his backyard, a federal grand jury alleges.
Christopher Thomas Caplinger was “the head of this drug trafficking organization, which manufactured and distributed anabolic steroids ... throughout the United States,” according to the grand jury indictment. Caplinger and codefendants allegedly communicated about the operation through encrypted email accounts.
Caplinger, 55, of Edmond; Donald Ray Vincent Jr., 54, of Edmond; Deborah Ann Crawford, 46, of Oklahoma City; and Michael Brandon Schott, 34, of Newport News, Virginia, are charged in Oklahoma City federal court with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute anabolic steroids.
Anabolic steroids are considered a controlled substance and are illegal to possess without a prescription.
The conspiracy occurred between February 2014 and November 2017, according to the indictment unsealed last week. Caplinger’s defense attorney had no comment Wednesday.
As part of the conspiracy, Caplinger rented a commercial space in Oklahoma City to manufacture and distribute the steroids, according to prosecutors. The business front was reportedly for an auto sales company, “but, in reality, had little to no involvement in the automobile trade.”
Caplinger obtained raw steroid product from foreign countries, including China, according to the indictment. The raw product would be sent from the foreign countries to individuals in the United States who then “reshipped” the product to Oklahoma City, grand jurors allege. Schott was an alleged “reshipper.”
Crawford opened post office boxes in the names of fictitious companies where payment for some of the steroids were sent, grand jurors allege. She also is accused of creating PayPal accounts where customers would make payments.
Caplinger and Vincent concealed the drug proceeds by depositing money into third-party bank accounts, storing bulk cash at their residences and making improvements on lawfully purchased assets, according to the indictment. Caplinger allegedly used some illegal proceeds to build an addition on his home.
Caplinger, Vincent and Crawford also are charged in amoney laundering conspiracy, accusing them of receiving currency from the illegal drug sales. The three also are accused of opening PayPal accounts and recruiting individuals to open bank accounts for depositing proceeds.
About $1 million in proceeds was deposited into PayPal and bank accounts, according to the indictment.
Caplinger and Crawford also were charged with 12 counts of international money laundering related to alleged wire transfers to China.
Vincent also was charged with manufacturing anabolic steroids and international money laundering related to an alleged wire transfer to Switzerland.
Caplinger was charged with additional drug offenses, including distribution of anabolic steroids. He distributed steroids multiple times last year to an “undercover officer,” grand jurors allege.
If convicted, the defendants could spend years in federal prison.
Caplinger reportedly retired in 2004 after 20 years with the Edmond Police Department.
In 2007, Caplinger was charged in Oklahoma County District Court in a bribery case that resulted in disciplinary action against three lawyers. He pleaded guilty in 2009 and was sentenced to three years probation.