The indictment alleges former Edmond cop Christopher Thomas Caplinger, 55, was “the head of this drug trafficking organization, which manufactured and distributed anabolic steroids throughout the United States.”
Caplinger, who worked for Edmond police for over 20 years, and his co-defendants allegedly communicated about the operation through encrypted email accounts.
Caplinger and his associates also set up an auto sales business in Oklahoma City.
But that was apparently just a front for their steroid business.
“In reality, had little to no involvement in the automobile trade,” the indictment alleges.
The grand jury also alleges Caplinger kept $280,000 in proceeds buried in his backyard.
The conspiracy, which occurred between February 2014 and November 2017, consisted of Caplinger obtaining raw steroid products from foreign countries like China were shipped to the United States and then reshipped to Oklahoma.
Co-defendant Michael Brandon Schott was an alleged “reshipper.”
Donald Ray Vincent Jr., 54, Deborah Ann Crawford, 46, Michael Brandon Schott, 34 were all charged along with Caplinger in Oklahoma City federal court with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute anabolic steroids.
Crawford’s role in the scheme was to open post office boxes in the names of fictitious companies where steroid buyers would send payments. The indictment alleges she also created PayPal accounts for the same reason.
Caplinger and Vincent concealed the drug money by depositing into third-party bank accounts, and stashing large amounts of money at their residences.
Caplinger, Crawford and Vincent were charged with money laundering for receiving currency from the illegal drug sales. They also allegedly opened PayPal accounts and recruited people to open bank accounts for them.
About $1 million in proceeds from steroids was was deposited into the PayPal and bank accounts set up by the trio.
If convicted, defendants in the case could spend up to 20 years in federal prison.
Caplinger, who retired in 2004 from the Edmond Police Department, was charged in Oklahoma County District Court in a bribery case in 2007.
He pleaded guilty in 2009 and received three years of probation