A powerlifter who once set the world bench press record in Kennewick was sentenced Thursday to 30 months in federal prison for importing anabolic steroids from India.
Ryan Shawn Kennelly, known to the weightlifting world as "Bench Monster," had 1,503 steroid tablets mailed to him from Mumbai, India, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The 39-year-old has been in federal custody since February. He pleaded guilty in March to importing the steroids.
Kennelly will be on court supervision for three years after his release.
In December 2010, a package containing the tablets arrived for Kennelly at a Kennewick post office, officials said. Kennelly called the post office asking for the package, which eventually was searched by postal inspectors.
That same month, authorities searched a Kennewick apartment that was linked to Kennelly, according to Herald archives. Officers found steroid vials, packets of chemicals and a safe.
The safe, which Kennelly had the key to, contained $20,000 in cash, $80,000 in gold coins and suspected drugs, court documents said.
Authorities from Grant County's narcotics team previously had seized more than a kilogram of powder steroids from Kennelly's Moses Lake home.
Kennelly was charged in Benton County Superior Court with possession with intent to manufacture or deliver anabolic steroids. He faced similar charges in Grant County involving marijuana and steroids.
