The Supreme Court on Tuesday released on probation people convicted of attempting to smuggle anabolic steroids into the United States after overturning the most severe charges, Itar-Tass reported.
The Moscow City Court sentenced them to jail terms varying from 4 1/2? to 6 1/2 years for attempted smuggling and illegal distribution of controlled substances. The smuggling charge was overturned and the sentence for distribution was made conditional.
The suspects — bodybuilder Dmitry Koshuba, Vladimir Matyuk, Sergei Degtaryov, Yelena Tsymbal — have maintained their innocence, Itar-Tass reported. The original jury acquitted them of 58 of the 60 charges they faced, Kommersant reported.
(MT)
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