Former Mets Clubhouse Attendant Kirk Radomski Gets 5 Years Probation
By PAUL ELIAS | Associated Press | Feb 8, 08 2:26 PM CST in
Sports
Former New York Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski avoided jail time and was sentenced Friday to five years' probation after cooperating with baseball's investigation into performance-enhancing drugs.
Radomski, who admitted giving dozens of major leaguers steroids and human growth hormone, also was ordered to pay an $18,575 fine by U.S. District Judge Susan Illston.
He pleaded guilty last April to distributing steroids and laundering money, admitting he sold speed, steroids and HGH to players from 1995 until Dec. 14, 2005, when agents raided his Long Island home.
As part of his plea agreement, Radomski was required to cooperate with federal investigators and former Senate majority leader George Mitchell, who headed baseball's doping probe.
Radomski led investigators to Brian McNamee, the former Yankees strength coach who claimed he injected Roger Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone at least 16 times from 1998-01, an allegation the seven-time Cy Young Award winner vehemently denies.
Radomski, who had no prior offenses, had faced no more than six months in prison. Assistant U.S. attorney Matt Parrella recommended that Radomski receive probation because of his extensive cooperation.
There's a culture of "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil" when it comes to steroid abuse in sports and Radomski's naming of names "is at least a first step to that around," Parrella said.
The lead federal investigator in the sports doping probe, IRS agent Jeff Novitzky, sat next to Radomski in the court room before his case was called.
Radomski apologized to his family and friends and asked the judge for forgiveness.
"Our privacy has been seriously impacted," he said of his highly publicized involvement in the biggest doping scandal to hit sports.
Radomski's downfall began in February 2005 when a person charged with real estate fraud who had a baseball contact agreed to work undercover with the FBI in exchange for leniency. The informant's contact put that person in touch with Radomski. The informant bought steroids and made numerous telephone calls to Radomski throughout 2005, with federal investigators watching and listening the entire time.
The informant told investigators that Radomski became the biggest steroid supplier to baseball players in 2003 after federal authorities shut down the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, which was the headquarters of a performance-enhancing drug ring catering to elite athletes.
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