Muskogee Fitness Center's Owner Arrested Following Drug Bust

2/1/2007

Muskogee Police got more than workout tips after raiding a fitness club this week. Detectives discovered thousands of dollars in illegal steroids and other prescription pills.

The Healthplex Fitness Center's owner now faces a drug charge and questions from police. Muskogee detectives arrested Scott Thomas Baker after finding a stash at his gym.

They are not workout supplements; they're thousands of dollars in illegal steroids and prescription drugs. Muskogee Police Lt. Bryan Stark says, “we didn't have any idea that there would be this much steroids and other, Xanex and this quantity of drugs on the in the business, we had no idea there was going to be that much in there."

Hidden inside a filing cabinet at the Healthplex Fitness Center, Muskogee Police say they found 345 Xanex pills, 203 bottles of liquid steroids, and more than 400 steroid pills. But that's not all. Detectives also scooped up valium and more than $6,000 in cash.

Lt. Stark says officers have received tips about illegal activity at the fitness center in the past. "We originally started the investigation in September of 06, we have made several control buys of steroids out of the business."

In order to make the bust, Lt. Stark says they asked the DEA to help. "Muskogee is a pretty small town and we don't want to take the chance of somebody seeing one of us acting as an undercover while we're making this long term investigation, we wanted to make sure we were going to get somebody that wouldn't recognize."

Muskogee Police say Baker faces one charge of possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute. Muskogee Police say more charges could follow in the next few weeks.